Which players could feature as Indian women's basketball team return to international action after two years?

The Indian women’s basketball team are set to compete at the 3rd Saba Women’s Championship from February 23.

The Indian women’s basketball team, who were last in action at the 2022 Asian Games, will return to the international arena at the 3rd SABA Women’s Championship starting from 23rd February in Delhi. The other participating teams are Maldives and Nepal. The winners will represent South Asia in the Women’s Asia Cup 2025, scheduled to be played in China.

India are set to play Nepal on 23rd February and then Maldives on 25th February at the Saba Women’s Championship 2025.

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Women’s basketball in India has lacked international action for a long time after missing the U16 Asian Championship in July 2023 and the U18 Asian Championship in 2024. The latest international basketball appearance for them was in the U18 3×3 World Cup where they finished last in their group stage.

Take a look at the players who might feature for India at the 3rd Saba Women’s Championship in Delhi.

Sanjana Ramesh

Sanjana Ramesh went on a tear in the recently concluded National Games where she averaged 19 points, 12 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. Ramesh is a former NCAA player, where she played for Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in the Big Sky Conference. She was also part of the India’s squad for 2022 Asian Games where she finished as the top scorer in their game against China.

Ramesh’s game impacted other players on the court, her performance alone lifted the Karnataka state team as they finished fourth in the National Games after a disappointing performance in the 74th Senior Nationals.

Pushpa Senthilkumar

Pushpa Senthilkumar gained recognition with her stellar performance at the 2022 Asian Games where she was the team’s highest scorer with 72 points. She tore apart Mongolia by scoring 30 points on 52% FG% to help India finish second in Group A. She had a weak outing at the 74th National Games and didn’t play at the National Games 2024.

Sreekala Rani

Sreekala Rani plays for the Railways and is currently one of the best female basketball players in the country. The player from Kerala averaged 16 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists in the National Games. She can score with efficiency and is a hard worker on the court. Rani was also part of the 2022 Asian Games, where she scored the most points in the game against North Korea in the quarterfinals.

Siya Deodhar

One of the brightest prospects coming out of the women’s basketball scene, Siya Deodhar can make her place on the team. Part of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders Camp, Deodhar was selected by The Life Prep Academy in Kansas, USA. She plays guard and is lauded for her court vision and speed. She has regularly represented Maharashtra at the national-level tournaments.

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