India Women team playing [Source: AFP]In a massive update for the Indian Women's cricket team, spin star Shreyanka Patil has successfully recovered from her longstanding injury since the T20 World Cup and is now on her way to join the squad for the Asian Games 2026.Patil, the RCB-W sensation bagging 30 wickets at a strike rate of 14.3 for the team in WPL, has been suffering from an ankle injury for a long time and has now finally been cleared by the fitness and medical experts to play a full-length game. She is set to travel to Aichi, as India Women under Harmanpreet Kaur are set to play their first game of the Asian Games 2026 tournament against Japan in the 4th Quarter Final.Coach confirms Shreyanka Patil’s recovery for the Asian Games 2026The 24-year-old off-spinner was initially named in the India Women’s squad for the Asian Games 2026. However, her recovery timeline put clouds of uncertainty on her comeback in the game after she missed out on the Asia Cup 2026, which was won by India by defeating Sri Lanka Women.“Yes, she’s on her way to Japan,” Shreyanka’s coach Arjun Dev told India. Today, confirming her link-up with the squad. With India’s match against Japan on September 18, it is very unlikely that she will be featuring in the Playing XI for the game. However, if India qualifies and moves on to the semi-finals, Patil might as well be a solid off-spinning option for the team in Japan in the much more crucial stage of the tournament.Also Read- BCCI Takes Grand Initiative To Build Brighter FutureHow has Patil been an impactful performer for India in T20Is?Playing 24 games in the shortest format, Patil has been a prolific wicket-taker, bagging 29 wickets at an average of 19.55. She has been most impactful in away matches. In high-pressure tournaments like the World Cup, Patil bagged 4 wickets from the 6 matches she played in the 2024 edition.She has also been the most impactful for the team in high-pressure situations while chasing. Defending a target, Patil has managed to take 11 wickets from 11 innings while averaging 22.27 while striking at 18.8. Hence, her inclusion in the squad will add significant trouble to opposition batters. Complete injury timeline of Shreyanka PatilShreyanka Patil’s road back to the Indian squad has been marked by a series of injury setbacks over the last two years. Her troubles began in July 2024, when she suffered a fracture in her left finger during the tour phase, forcing her to miss matches and disrupting her campaign.The bigger setback arrived towards the end of 2024, when Patil was diagnosed with Grade 3 shin splints in both legs, along with a wrist stress reaction. The combination kept the all-rounder away from competitive cricket for an extended period, with her recovery stretching into 2025. As a result, she missed the 2025 Women’s Premier League, where she was expected to feature for Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women. Later, another major blow followed on June 17, 2026, when Shreyanka Patil twisted her right ankle while fielding against the Netherlands at Headingley, suffering a torn ligament. She was stretchered off and subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the T20 World Cup and the Asia Cup before her latest comeback.Also Read- Sophia Gardens Pitch Report, Weather Report For ENG vs SL 2nd T20I, 2026
