‘You have to make adjustments according to the situation’ – Shafali Verma reflects on Harmanpreet Kaur’s two-match ban ahead of Asian Games

India star batter Shafali Verma reflected on skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s two-match suspension and how the national team will prepare ahead of the Asian Games, which is slated to begin on September 19, in Hangzhou, China.

Notably, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the women’s national team will be led by Harmanpreet whereas Smriti Mandhana will be her deputy for the event. However, in an unfortunate turn of events for the skipper, the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended Harmanpreet for two games following her outburst during the final ODI match in the Bangladesh series.

With this, the apex council also fined 75 per cent of her match fees. The skipper will miss out on the first two fixtures of the Asian Games and Smriti Mandhana will shoulder the responsibility of leading the setup. On that note, opener Shafali, who was present alongside Yash Dhull at the mascot reveal event for the 2023 ODI World Cup, expressed that the exclusion of Harmanpreet from the two games would be a massive loss but the side would be ready to make adjustments in order to compete for glory.

“Of course, it’s a big loss for the team that she (Harmanpreet Kaur) won’t be playing the first two matches but you have to make the adjustments according to the situation. We would just like to go there and perform,” Shafali was quoted as saying by News18.

Tilak Varma is good backup for Shreyas Iyer for ODI WC: Yash Dhull

In the same event, the 2022 U-19 World Cup-winning skipper Yash Dhull opined that batting sensation Tilak Varma could be a solid backup for Shreyas Iyer in the ODI World Cup, keeping in mind that the latter is recuperating from his injury.

“Look, that totally depends upon the team management. If there is some concern, then maybe Tilak Varma is also a good option,” said Dhull.

It is worth mentioning that Shreyas has been recovering well from his injury and has been preparing in full swing to make the cut for the marquee ODI event. As per reports, Shreyas batted for 38 overs without any discomfort in a practice match and fielded for the entirety of the 50 overs which is a terrific signal for Indian cricket fans who are anticipating his return.