As far as comeback stories go, Shafali Verma’s is right up there. From being out of favour despite piling on the runs in domestic cricket to becoming player of the match in the ODI World Cup final and now, being appointed deputy to captain Smriti Mandhana, the Haryana opener is feeling right at home with her new responsibility.
Ahead of India’s first assignment with the new leadership duo of Mandhana and Verma against Zimbabwe, the 22-year-old has her plans set for the Indian team in the shortest format. “I have also captained the team in the 2019 World Cup, so I have that experience. I know vice-captaincy is not just a title; it is a big responsibility,” Verma told reporters ahead of the first T20I in Raipur.
“We have to look after every player and ensure they are in a good headspace. I am trying to make everyone comfortable and help the captain.”
Recalling the memorable final in Mumbai last year where she scored 87 off 78 and picked up 2/36 against South Africa, she said the work she put in behind the scenes came in handy when the team needed her to step up. Interestingly, Verma wasn’t even in the reserve players list travelling with the team then. Only an injury to Pratika Rawal in the semi-final opened the doors for her.
“When Pratika got injured, I got a direct call-up. Luckily, at that time, I was playing state games for Haryana. In 2025, I worked a lot on myself and did everything alongside my cricket, as I have said before. I think the hard work I put in during 2025 has helped me a lot now. I am just trying to keep my head down and continue learning. Every day and with every experience, I am trying to learn something new,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}“When Pratika got injured, I got a direct call-up. Luckily, at that time, I was playing state games for Haryana. In 2025, I worked a lot on myself and did everything alongside my cricket, as I have said before. I think the hard work I put in during 2025 has helped me a lot now. I am just trying to keep my head down and continue learning. Every day and with every experience, I am trying to learn something new,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}Harmanpreet Kaur during her captaincy also relied on her bowling to provide breakthroughs. Since 2025, she has picked up 15 international wickets across formats.
“Bowling is nothing new for me because I have been bowling for Haryana since 2021. When I used to bowl for Haryana, I would think that someday I would have to bowl for India. So, I mentally prepared myself for that possibility,” she added. “I used to think about how I would prepare if I got the opportunity to bowl for the Indian team. By God's grace, that opportunity came, and I was already mentally prepared.”
Her skills as a batter, especially in the white-ball formats, were never in doubt but her consistency was one area that needed improvement. She credited her rhythm in domestic cricket that ensured a seamless transition on her return along with the preparation in training that helped her close the gaps.
“When I was out of the team in 2025, I sat down and analysed the areas I needed to work on. My answer was consistency, fitness and mental growth. I worked hard on all three, and I think that is why things are falling into place and going well. I am just trying to become more consistent.”
More recently, Verma was the leading run-scorer at the Asia Cup in the UAE with 236 runs in five innings, including a knock of 64 in the semi-final against Bangladesh and 68 in the final against Sri Lanka, as India won their eighth Asia Cup title.
She continued her form at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, scoring 188 runs in three innings. That included an unbeaten 40 against Japan before she brought on her first T20I century against Bangladesh, smashing 100 off 49 balls in the semi-final. She scored 48 against Sri Lanka in the final to help India win gold.
“During net sessions, I try to prepare for different situations. If my hitting or six-hitting is not going well on a particular day, I think about how I can play along the ground instead. I put myself in different situations during every net session, and I think that makes it easier when I go into a match,” she explained
“I worked on every aspect of my game in 2025, including short balls, playing spin, the back-foot punch and the pull shot. I can see a very good reflection of that work in my performances.”