Shafali Verma Seeks Redemption in England: Can Third Tour Spark ODI Comeback?

Saturday - 09/08/2025 06:03

She has changed her game, and the five-match T20I series in England could be Shafali's way back into the ODI side in a World Cup year

Shafali Verma is embarking on her third tour of England, but much has evolved since her previous visits. Notably, she is no longer a teenager.

During her initial England tour in 2021 for the multi-format series, Shafali Verma was primarily known as a T20I cricketer, making her debut in both ODIs and Test cricket on that same tour. By the time of the 2022 England tour, encompassing the Commonwealth Games and a bilateral series, India valued her impactful, albeit inconsistent, performances. This risk-versus-reward approach proved beneficial for both India and Shafali.

However, by mid-2025, Shafali has been recalled to the T20I side but remains out of favor in ODIs during a home World Cup year. Following India's early exit from the 2024 T20 World Cup, her position in the team appeared precarious. Despite the lack of alternative batters who could replicate her aggressive starts – a rare skill globally, especially in India – she was dropped.

The timing of her exclusion inadvertently benefited Shafali, allowing her to fully participate in the domestic 50-over competitions. She led Haryana to the quarter-finals of the Senior Women's One Day Trophy, topping the run-scoring charts with 527 runs at an average exceeding 75 and a strike rate of 152.31. Only Kiran Navgire achieved a higher strike rate, but she only scored 116 runs.

Shafali continued her impressive form in the Senior Women's One Day Challenger Trophy, a competition where national selectors scout top performers. Captaining Team A, she once again topped the charts with 414 runs at an average of 82.80 and a strike rate of 145.26. Her score was nearly 200 runs higher than the next best, and she maintained the highest scoring pace in the competition.

In the 2025 WPL, Shafali Verma emerged as the leading run-scorer for the Delhi Capitals (DC), who finished as runners-up, and ranked fourth overall. This performance made her recall to India's T20I side inevitable. Despite India playing only one T20I series since her axing, they have reinstated their premier opener as they prepare for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

The key question is: what adjustments has Shafali made to her game during this period, enabling her newfound consistency?

"She has focused on staying composed," said DC assistant coach Hemlata Kala to ESPNcricinfo. "In the WPL, she aimed to bat longer innings and avoid getting out during the powerplay."

Kala added, "People often said she only bats for 10-15 overs in one-day cricket. But she batted longer in the domestic one-dayers, hitting consecutive centuries. She also performed well in multi-day matches (Senior Women's Multi-Day Challenger Trophy). She has now consistently started playing longer innings. It's not that she couldn't do it before – she has scored 130-140 in Under-23 cricket. She has the ability, but in T20s, she focuses on maximizing the powerplay."

Kala, a former India international and chief selector when Shafali debuted at 15, has witnessed Shafali's destructive potential both as a DC coach and as part of the coaching staff for teams in the one-day and multi-day Challenger Trophy.

"I constantly remind her that no one possesses her mindset – the ability to hit sixes from the first ball," Kala stated. "Whenever I speak to her, I emphasize, 'don't abandon your game'. Her power game is innate; no one else in women's cricket hits sixes at will like she does. I told her not to discard the qualities that have brought her here. She is a unique cricketer, and I initially selected her based on that."

However, Kala also emphasized the importance of rotating the strike and avoiding stagnation while seeking big hits. Shafali Verma has been working on finding gaps when the field spreads.

"As you know, my starts are usually good, but building an innings has been a challenge," Shafali said earlier this year. "But now, I am focusing on how to get those singles, how to build the innings, how to contribute to the team."

This was evident in the WPL, where she appeared less desperate to smash every delivery. She displayed restraint even during the powerplay, without significantly affecting her overall strike rate (152.76 in 2025 vs 156.85 in 2024).

The five-match T20I series in England could pave the way for Shafali's return to the ODI side. Following the three games in England, India will have one more series before the World Cup – a three-ODI series against Australia at home. Whether Shafali Verma will be included and the implications for other top-order batters like Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol remain uncertain.

This third tour could indeed prove to be a turning point for Shafali.

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