The emerging talents Gunalan Kamalini and Vaishnavi Sharma have been named in India’s T20I squad for the highly anticipated five-match series against Sri Lanka, scheduled from December 21 to 30, 2025. This young duo signals a promising future for Indian women’s cricket under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, as the team prepares to take on a strong Sri Lankan side led by Chamari Athapaththu.
India’s selection panel has made a bold and exciting move by including 17-year-old wicket-keeper batter Gunalan Kamalini and 19-year-old left-arm spinner Vaishnavi Sharma in the national T20I squad. Both players have displayed exceptional skill and maturity in their youth careers, making them key assets for India’s future.
Vaishnavi Sharma stands out as one of the most successful players from the recent ICC Women’s Under-19 World Cup campaigns. She played a pivotal role in India’s defence of the title in the 2025 edition, which saw India winning their second consecutive championship, this time under skipper Niki Prasad.
Sharma’s remarkable bowling figures throughout the tournament underscore her dominance, amassing 17 wickets at an astonishing average of 4.35 and maintaining an economy rate of just 3.36 over six innings. Her outstanding performance included a five-wicket haul and an impactful spell of 4-0-23-2 in the hard-fought final against South Africa, led by Kayla Reyneke.
At the domestic level, Sharma has continued her impressive form representing Madhya Pradesh, with 36 wickets from 17 innings at an average of 8.86 and an economy of 5.41 in T20 cricket, including multiple five-wicket hauls.
On the batting front, Gunalan Kamalini has made her mark as a reliable and aggressive wicket-keeper batter. During the 2nd edition of the ICC Women’s Under-19 T20 World Cup in Malaysia earlier this year, Kamalini was India’s second-highest run-scorer, accumulating 143 runs at a solid average of 35.75 and a strike rate of 104.37. Her consistency with two half-centuries in seven matches helped India reach the later stages of the tournament, and she ranked as the third-highest run-scorer overall.
Demonstrating her rising profile in domestic circuits and the professional league, the Mumbai Indians retained Kamalini for a notable ₹50 Lakhs ahead of the upcoming 4th edition of the Women’s Premier League, reflecting immense faith in her potential. The WPL 2026 will unfold from January 9 to February 5 across Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium and Vadodara’s Kotambi Stadium.
India’s squad for the T20I series against Sri Lanka features a strong mix of experience and youth. Alongside the established stars such as captain Harmanpreet Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, and the likes of Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues, the inclusion of Kamalini and Vaishnavi signals fresh depth and dynamism.
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Richa Ghosh (WK), G Kamalini (WK), Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma
India’s infusion of youth with tested champions reflects a future-ready approach. As both Gunalan Kamalini and Vaishnavi Sharma transition from Under-19 successes to senior challenges, the upcoming T20I series and WPL season will be crucial proving grounds for their evolving careers. Fans can eagerly anticipate their impact as they represent a new wave propelled by skill, determination, and ambition.
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