England add Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Maia Bouchier for women's T20Is against India

England have added Danni Wyatt-Hodge and Maia Bouchier to their squad for the three-match women’s T20I series against India, which begins at Chelmsford on Thursday. Wyatt-Hodge, however, will be available only for the final two matches, with England and Wales Cricket Board confirming the change on Tuesday.

The recall matters more than selection housekeeping. England are using this India series as their final set of competitive matches before next month’s women’s T20 World Cup, and Wyatt-Hodge would otherwise have gone into that tournament on 12 June without playing an international this summer. England and India will also play a one-off Test at Lord’s after the World Cup.

In a statement, the ECB said: "Danni Wyatt-Hodge will join the England Women squad ahead of the three-match Vitality IT20 series with India and will be available for the final two matches. As a result Charis Pavely has now returned to Warwickshire." It added: "Maia Bouchier has been added to the squad for the India series, while Lauren Filer has been released to play for Durham against Surrey on Wednesday before returning to the squad for the rest of the India series."

Wyatt-Hodge, 35, missed England’s recent series win over New Zealand after the birth of her first child, with her partner giving birth last week. The India series starts in Chelmsford, with the second and third T20Is to be played at Bristol and Taunton on May 30 and June 2 respectively.

Her return gives England an experienced option at the top of the order at a time when the side is still searching for its best combination. England are already without injured captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who missed the six white-ball matches against New Zealand and will also sit out the India series because of a calf injury. In Wyatt-Hodge’s absence, Alice Capsey strengthened her case as an opener with an unbeaten 74 that led England to victory in the first T20 against New Zealand, while coach Charlotte Edwards admitted on Monday that she does not yet know her best XI. Sophia Dunkley, the incumbent opener, made scores of eight, 26 and 22 against the White Ferns.

Though Wyatt-Hodge has not played an international this summer, she has carried strong domestic form into this recall, making two centuries and a 96 in five 50-over matches for Surrey at the start of the season. Charis Pavely has now returned to Warwickshire after Wyatt-Hodge’s inclusion, while Bouchier remains with the squad for the India series. Filer, meanwhile, has been released to play for Durham against Surrey on Wednesday and will rejoin the England group afterwards.

For England, the India series is not simply another bilateral assignment. It is the last competitive checkpoint before the World Cup, with only official warm-up matches against Australia and India on 8 and 10 June to follow. Wyatt-Hodge’s return for the final two games, Bouchier’s inclusion and the continued absence of Sciver-Brunt mean the series will also shape how England settle their side before the bigger test begins.