Nottingham, June 27 (IANS) Ahead of playing the T20I series opener against England, India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana said her opening partner Shafali Verma is deserving of making a comeback into the setup after eight months, adding that she is excited to open again with the explosive right-handed batter.

Shafali had been out of the national set-up after last year’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, where India failed to enter the semi-finals. After strong showings in the domestic 20-over and 50-over matches, Shafali amassed 304 runs from nine innings with a strike rate of 152.76 for Delhi Capitals (DC) in WPL 2025, and finished at fourth place in the run-scorers’ charts.

That was enough for her to make a comeback in the India T20I team for the series against England, starting in Nottingham on Saturday. “She’s had an amazing year. Once the setback had come, she went into domestic, scored bucket loads of runs, and had an amazing WPL.”

“Of course, I mean, no one had any doubts about her talent, the way she had come into the Indian team and dominated. I mean, she is a world-class player and always will be, but for her to go back and do what she did in the last one year was amazing to watch. I mean, she deserves this comeback and I’m really excited to open with her again,” said Smriti in the pre-match press conference, where she filled in for an unwell skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.

India come into the series on the back of playing a 20-over and 50-over tour game against ECB Women’s Development XI in Beckenham, their training base since landing in the country. “It’s been a good 25 days of prep – we had 25 days of bowlers and batters’ camp at the NCA (BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru).”

“That was also very targeted and specific, keeping in mind this tour and the World Cup. Of course, we came in a little earlier here, a good eight days of prep, and a few good practice matches.”

“Of course, we got to know a lot of things about the England conditions and all, especially for a lot of girls, it’s their first England tour, so it was important for them to come here early and get used to the conditions. So, the preparation has been good leading up to the series,” added Smriti.

She also feels the series will serve them as a good preparatory tourney ahead of the T20 World Cup happening in England in June-July 2026. “Because we have a T20 World Cup next year around the same time, it will be around the summer of the UK, which is again similar conditions.”

“So, I’m sure this five T20s will be a good prep for a lot of the girls and everyone for us to also see to what conditions and how they all suit their game too. So, we’ll take it as that as well and I think also five T20s is a good amount of cricket before in the same conditions just one year before the World Cup.”

Smriti signed off by expressing confidence in the inexperienced pace-bowling line-up to come good, as the first-choice bowlers continue to recover from various injuries. “Definitely we a new look fast-bowling unit because unfortunately, there are a few injuries which had happened over the last four to five months, I would say. But for others, it is really exciting. I mean, WPL has been good in terms of finding new players, and of course, the domestic system as well – with the amount of matches the girls play nowadays.”

“So these all girls have a rich experience of playing in the format domestically. So I’m really excited to see them. Whenever young talents come in, I mean, it’s always very exciting. Everyone’s been prepping up well, trying to do everything right, and what better place than England to come in as a pacer? So I’m really excited and looking forward to seeing them play. Of course, they’ll take a lot of lessons out of it and I’m sure they’ll do the job for the team.”

–IANS

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