Renuka Singh Thakur ruled out of one-off Test against Australia, Kashvee Gautam called up

India’s women’s cricket team touring Australia suffered a setback on Tuesday as experienced pacer Renuka Singh Thakur was ruled out of the one-off Test scheduled from Friday, March 6, 2026, at the WACA Ground due to workload management. Renuka, a key member of India’s pace attack, has been instrumental in providing breakthroughs with the new ball and maintaining pressure in both the ODI and T20 formats. Her consistent line and ability to swing the ball have made her a vital part of India’s bowling strategy across formats.

BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed that Kashvee Gautam has been named as Renuka’s replacement. “To better manage her workload, Renuka has been advised rest and will be unavailable for the pink-ball Test. The BCCI medical team will closely monitor her fitness progress,” Saikia said.

Kashvee, already part of India’s ODI squad, brings promising pace to the team. She has played six ODIs for India , claiming three wickets , and boasts a strong domestic record with 19 wickets in 18 Women’s Premier League (WPL) matches . Kashvee’s inclusion adds depth to India’s pace resources and gives the team flexibility in fielding an aggressive attack under pink-ball conditions.

The one-off Test is a crucial part of the ongoing multi-format series, coming after India’s T20I series win 2-1 and a 3-0 ODI series defeat . The match offers India an opportunity to showcase resilience in the longer format and gain momentum ahead of the remaining fixtures. Team management is expected to adopt a measured approach, balancing aggressive bowling with patient batting to tackle Australia’s formidable lineup. With a mix of experience and young talent, Kashvee will play a key role in supporting the senior pacers and exploiting the extra bounce and seam movement that the WACA surface offers.