UP Warriorz continue to keep faith in homegrown talent

UP Warriorz Builds Around Homegrown Talent

Head Coach Jon Lewis Hopes Indian Duo to Shoulder Pace-Bowling Responsibilities

UP Warriorz continue to invest in homegrown talent, retaining a bulk of their squad but releasing English quick Lauren Bell, and head coach Jon Lewis is optimistic about Indian duo Saima Thakor and Anjali Sarvani to deliver the goods.

"We've got scouts out watching a lot of cricket, but if I'm really honest, finding someone from domestic cricket or within our squad who can improve and bowl in the powerplay would be really, really useful for us," Lewis said.

Saima Thakor and Anjali Sarvani

Saima Thakor has shown impressive growth after making her ODI debut in a three-match series against New Zealand last month. Lewis expressed his hope that Thakor and Sarvani can fill the pace-bowling gap through continued investment in domestic talents.

"For her to progress from that point to the point where she's opening the bowling for India in international cricket is a really big jump forward."

Anjali Sarvani's skill set as a left-arm swing bowler and her ability to bat is an attractive asset for the team. Lewis is confident that Sarvani will come back stronger after rehabbing a knee injury.

Workload Concerns

Lewis has overseen the departure of two first-XI regulars – Lauren Bell and opening batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge – from the England Women's team to prioritize workloads and skillsets.

"We hope that that investment and that time that we've spent with those players will come good next season," Lewis noted.

Rationale Behind Retentions and Releases

The decision was made to release Lauren Bell to find a more rounded bowling option. Lewis notes that the door is not entirely shut on Bell, and he is optimistic about plugging the gap through domestic talents.

"We need to think about where people's workloads are because the players are playing a lot more cricket now than they have done in the past," Lewis said.