India name strong women's squad for Asian Games, Gaikwad leads depleted men's side

Harmanpreet Kaur will captain a strong women’s squad for the Asian Games in Hangzhou this year, while Ruturaj Gaikwad will lead a second-string men’s side

India has picked a strong women's squad for the Asian Games in Hangzhou this year, while Ruturaj Gaikwad will lead a second-string men's side.

Harmanpreet Kaur will captain the women's team, with star batter Smriti Mandhana named vice captain.

Bowlers Richa Ghosh and Rajeshwari Gayakwad return to the squad after being left out of India's tour of Bangladesh, while Titas Sadhu and Kanika Ahuja earn their first call-ups.

With the 50-overs men's World Cup kicking off two days before the end of the Asian Games cricket competition, India's men's squad is significantly weaker than the women's team.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored 171 runs in the first innings of India's first test against the West Indies this week, is set to make his T20I debut, while it is Rinku Singh's first call-up for India, coming after a stellar Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign with the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Cricket has previously been part of the Asian Games programme on two occasions, but India did not participate either when the country hosted the Games in 2010 or in 2014. The BCCI confirmed India's participation in the tournament earlier this month.

The Asian Games, which had been postponed a year due to COVID-19, will take place from September 23-October 8.