Is Pratika Rawal good enough for T20Is? Anjum Chopra shares her verdict

Women's Asia Cup: Anjum Chopra praised Pratika Rawal's intent and attitude after her encouraging T20I debut against Thailand in the Women's Asia Cup. Rawal's 22 off 18 and sharp catch impressed Chopra, who believes the youngster can make her opportunities count for India.Pratika Rawal scored 22 runs against Thailand. Courtesy: ACCAnjum Chopra has backed Pratika Rawal to make the most of every opportunity that comes her way after the India batter made an encouraging T20I debut against Thailand in the Women's Asia Cup.Rawal, drafted into India's squad after Jemimah Rodrigues was ruled out with injury, scored 22 off 18 balls in Dubai on Sunday. She struck two fours and a six before being bowled by Suleeporn Laomi. India went on to beat Thailand by 94 runs.“She made a very good start in her own way. That first shot she played, where she scored six runs, I think that was her second scoring shot. At least, it shows the intent, and she understands that she is coming in at number three. There were already 38 runs on the board, so at that point she cannot just take singles and twos. She has to go out there and score runs,” Chopra told the broadcasters after the match.Rawal's six came inside out over long-off off Sunida Chaturongrattana as she immediately showed a willingness to attack. She also used her feet against Thailand's spinners before her promising innings ended in the ninth over. Her 22 came at a strike rate of 122.22.CHOPRA IMPRESSED BY PRATIKA’S ATTITUDE Rawal also made an impact in the field, taking a sharp catch at cover to dismiss Phannita Maya for six off Nandani Sharma. Maya came down the track to a fullish delivery, sliced the drive towards cover, and Rawal leapt to complete the catch above her head.“Then she came back onto the field and contributed with a catch like that. It just goes to show that she is at least making the effort to make her presence felt,” Chopra said. “It is not certain that she will always get to bat at number three, but whatever opportunities she gets, maybe throughout the Asia Cup or perhaps at the Asian Games — we don't know, time will tell — every time she goes out there, she wants to make an impression. And that is probably the best part of Pratika Rawal,” Chopra said.Rawal's T20I debut came despite limited recent experience in the format. She had not played a T20 since 2024 and did not feature for UP Warriorz in the 2026 Women's Premier League. Her selection was largely built on an impressive start to her ODI career, where she had scored 1,189 runs in 27 matches at an average of 47.56 before the Asia Cup.Chopra believes Rawal's understanding of the game could help her adapt.“Look, we have seen her in the World Cup, so we know how good she is. She is an intelligent girl and a good student of the game, as well as someone who understands its philosophy. But at the end of the day, when you go out there and make an effort, it shows, and that is what she is actually doing,” Chopra added.Rawal may not be guaranteed a place at No. 3 once Jemimah returns, but her debut has given her an early opportunity to stake her claim. With India continuing their Asia Cup campaign against Hong Kong on September 3, Rawal might get another chance to turn an encouraging beginning into something more substantial.- EndsPublished By: sabyasachi chowdhuryPublished On: Aug 31, 2026 18:58 IST