ODI debuts for Asha, Dercksen as India opt to bat
South Africa captain Wolvaardt said that Kapp will play the first match as a pure batter to manage a minor back injury
Srinidhi Ramanujam
16-Jun-2024 • 1 hr ago
Asha Sobhana is on ODI debut, having made her T20I bow in Bangladesh last month • Srinidhi Ramanujam/ESPNcricinfo
Toss India chose to bat vs South Africa
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and elected to bat in the first of the three ODIs in Bengaluru on Sunday.
The hosts handed debut to legspinner S Asha, who made her international debut at 33 in the T20I series against Bangladesh in May. Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav, who returned to the side in Bangladesh, will play her second ODI after making her debut in this format in 2021.
That apart, Jemimah Rodrigues, who was left out of the Bangladesh series due to a back niggle, was included along with D Hemalatha - who last played for India in September 2022. Offspinner Shreyanka Patil was left out.
South Africa also handed debut to seamer Annerie Dercksen. Nadine de Klerk, Tumi Sekhukhune and Eliz-Mari Marx missed out due to illness. Captain Laura Wolvaardt said at the toss that experienced allrounder Marizanne Kapp will only play as a batter due to workload management following a minor back injury.
Nondumiso Shangase, Nonkululeko Mlaba and Sune Luus will be their spinners.
India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, D Hemalatha, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Richa Ghosh (wk) Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, S Asha, Renuka Singh
South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (capt), Tazmin Brits, Anneke Bosch, Suné Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Annerie Dercksen, Nondumiso Shangase, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Masabata Klaas, Ayabonga Khaka, Nonkululeko Mlaba
Srinidhi Ramanujam is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo