India’s preparations for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 suffered a worrying blow on September 25, when pacer Arundhati Reddy was wheelchaired off during the warm-up match against England at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, National Cricket Academy, Singahalli, Karnataka.
The contest, played on September 25 with Jemimah Rodrigues captaining India and Nat Sciver-Brunt leading England, was seen as an important tune-up ahead of the global tournament. India had opted to bowl first after winning the toss, hoping to test their bowling combinations before the September 30 opener against Sri Lanka.
Into her fifth over, Reddy was in rhythm, having already trapped England opener Amy Jones lbw for 39 off 46 balls. Just two balls later, disaster struck. Heather Knight, returning to action after her hamstring layoff in May, struck a firm drive back at the bowler. Reddy instinctively attempted a return catch, but the ball thudded into her left knee, causing her to land awkwardly on her follow-through.
The 28-year-old immediately collapsed to the ground in visible pain. Medical staff sprinted onto the field as play came to a halt. Though the physio and reserve players tried to help her up, she was unable to put weight on her left foot. Moments later, a wheelchair was called, and she was taken off to undergo further assessment. The severity of the injury remains unclear, leaving her availability for the World Cup in serious doubt.
For Reddy, this injury comes at a cruel time. The 2025 edition was set to be her first ODI World Cup, a stage she had fought hard to reach after years of inconsistent form and injury struggles. Since making her ODI debut in Bengaluru last year against South Africa, Reddy has featured in 11 ODIs, picking up 15 wickets with a best of 4 for 26 on the tour of Australia in December. She further showed her impact in India’s recent series against Australia, where she claimed 1 wicket in the 2nd ODI and 3 wickets in the 3rd ODI.
Reddy is one of only four seamers in India’s 15-player World Cup squad, making her role crucial to the team’s balance. Should she be ruled out, India may have to turn to their standbys. Among them, Sayali Satghare has already shown promise, having picked up 3 for 45 in India A’s four-wicket (DLS) win over New Zealand in another warm-up fixture.
However, replacing Reddy would be a significant challenge. More than just her bowling numbers, she has evolved into a reliable presence, bringing energy and variety to India’s pace unit.
As India gears up to host the World Cup beginning September 30, the focus now shifts to updates on Reddy’s condition. For the fast bowler, who has battled setbacks to carve her place in the squad, the injury is a heartbreaking twist just days before the tournament.
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