Women’s WC: Renuka Singh Returns as India Face England, Opt to Bat

October 19, 2025

New Delhi: In a high-stakes encounter at the Holkar Stadium, Indore, India have made a strategic change by bringing in fast bowler Renuka Singh Thakur in place of middle-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues, as England won the toss and opted to bat first in their 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup showdown.

India’s Semi-Final Hopes on the Line

With two wins from four matches, India cannot afford another setback as they resume their campaign after a week-long break. A win today is crucial to stay in contention for the semi-finals.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur emphasized Renuka’s ability to bowl inswingers, a tactic that troubled England’s batters in their rain-abandoned match against Pakistan in Colombo.

“We were looking to bowl first and glad to get that. Having an extra bowler is always a great option and that will give us confidence in the field. She (Renuka) has a great record against England and that was the biggest reason we wanted her back in the side.”
“Even though we lost, we played really good cricket in between and that is something which will give us confidence. Today is an important match and I want us to enjoy,” she added.

Renuka’s inclusion strengthens India’s bowling attack to a six-bowler combination, but Jemimah’s absence leaves the batting lineup one specialist short.

England Aim to Seal Semi-Final Spot

England remain unbeaten in the tournament with three wins and one washout. A victory today would virtually secure their place in the semi-finals, joining Australia and South Africa, who have already qualified.

Recovering from illness, Lauren Bell and Sophie Ecclestone return to the playing XI, replacing Em Arlott and Sarah Glenn.

“We would like to make the most of the fresh pitch and hopefully get a big total on the board. I hope so (it is the best batting pitch) and the outfield will be lightning quick, we have to do a lot of work in the field to stop the ball getting away,” said England’s captain.
“We will be looking for some big partnerships today and work as a team out there. We have seen a lot of noise with the Indian fans… We know we have three tough games left and hopefully we can get two points out of it.”

Pitch Report: Batters’ Paradise with Early Help for Seamers

Former India captain Mithali Raj described the Holkar Stadium pitch as a “very hard surface” that’s “rolled very well,” predicting a high-scoring contest. With an average score of 275 from previous matches and a decent grass cover, seamers may find early assistance before the batters take over.

“Expect a high-scoring game,” Mithali said, setting the tone for a thrilling encounter.

Playing XIs

India: Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana, Harleen Deol, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Sneh Rana, Kranti Gaud, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur

England: Amy Jones (wk), Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb, Alice Capsey, Charlotte Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell