India seamer Renuka Singh will not be part of India's Test squad for their one-off fixture against Australia that starts on Friday. The BCCI cited workload management as the reason. Right-arm medium pacer Kashvee Gautam has been called up as Renuka's replacement.
Renuka has been advised rest "to better manage her workload", the BCCI said in a statement. "The BCCI Medical Team will be closely monitoring Renuka's fitness progress."
Renuka has played three Tests - all at home - and has picked two wickets, both in her debut game against England.
Gautam, who has played six ODIs for India, has not yet played Tests. In the most recent domestic multi-day tournament, Gautam picked four wickets from three games. Among seamers, only Sayali Satghare (six wickets in four games) had more wickets than her. India's day-night Test will be played at the WACA.
In that multi-day tournament, Kashvee impressed with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 106 off 86 balls against an attack comprising Nandani Sharma, Kranti Gaud and N Shree Charani among others. She finished the tournament as the tenth-highest run-getter.
Apart from Gautam, India's other seam-bowling options are Gaud, Satghare and Amanjot Kaur. None of them have played Tests either.
India's spin attack comprises Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana and Vaishnavi Sharma.
India last played a Test in Australia in 2021, which ended in a draw in Carrara. More recently, in 2023, India hosted Australia in a Test at the Wankhede in Mumbai, and registered their first Test win against Australia.
India squad for only Test vs Australia
Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Pratika Rawal, Richa Ghosh (wk), Uma Chetry (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Sayali Satghare, Deepti Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Kashvee Gautam, Vaishnavi Sharma