India skip Pratika Rawal for historic Lord’s Test, Priya Punia named replacement

India will be without opening batsman Pratika Rawal in the historic women’s Test against England at Lord’s after she was dismissed for a one-off, dealing a significant blow to the visitors ahead of the milestone.

Rawal was sidelined after suffering a cut on her knee which required stitches while representing India A against England A in Taunton last week. The opener picked up an injury during the match and was subsequently deemed unavailable for the Test.

Head coach Amol Muzumdar confirmed the development during the pre-match press conference on Wednesday 8 July, with Priya Punia drafted into the squad as Rawal’s replacement.

Rawal’s absence has come at an unfortunate time for India when the 25-year-old has emerged as one of the team’s most reliable top-order batsmen over the past year. The right-hander has seen a rapid rise since his international debut, producing consistent performances across formats and establishing himself as a key member of the Indian batting unit.

She made her Test debut against Australia earlier this year at the WACA in Perthwhere she celebrated the occasion with her maiden half-century in the second innings. Rawal was also part of India’s victorious ODI World Cup campaign last year, scoring a century against New Zealand before her tournament was cut short by injury.

The Lord’s Test, the first women’s Test at the iconic venue with India, was expected to provide Rawal with another opportunity to cement her place in the longest format. Instead, India will have to reshuffle their top order and rely on Punia to fill the void.

PUNIA REWARDED AFTER IMPRESSIVE INDIA AND PERFORMANCE

Punia is yet to make his Test debut for India but earned his recall after an impressive tour of England with India A. The left-handed batsman was the top scorer for India A in the one-day series, amassing 171 runs at an average of 57, including a top score of 87.

Her consistency at the top of the order has caught the attention of the selectors, who have now given her the opportunity to be part of the Indian team for one of the biggest occasions in women’s Test cricket.

Punia also returned to the India squad after more than one-and-a-half years since the last appearance on the tour of Australia in December 2024. Since her debut in 2019, Punia has been in and out of the team, playing 12 ODIs and three T20Is.

India recently lost the T20I series against England 1-2 before suffering a group stage exit in the Women’s T20 World Cup. Harmanpreet Kaur’s team will now be hoping to end their England tour on a positive note with a strong performance in the historic Test at Lord’s.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

08 Jul 2026 18:21 IST