Radha Yadav has long been considered one of India's best fielders, so much so that whenever a player in the XI steps off the field, she's almost always the first one to be substituted in. At the 2025 ODI World Cup, she didn't feature in India's first six matches, yet appeared in nearly all of them as a substitute.
When her opportunity finally arrived in India's last league game against Bangladesh, she reminded everyone not just of her fielding prowess, but also of her craft as a left-arm spinner. Radha showcased the precision and control that have long defined her T20 reputation, the result of hard work and technical refinement during her time away from the side.
Radha's T20 credentials have never been in question. After being dropped in 2023, she forced her way back last year and has collected 35 wickets in 22 T20Is since her return. In ODIs, however, her journey has been far less straightforward.
Radha played just one game in 2021, and it wasn't until 2024 that she earned another run, featuring in home series against South Africa and New Zealand, taking seven wickets against the latter. Yet, she was overlooked again for the tri-series earlier this year in Sri Lanka and South Africa, as India handed a debut to young left-arm spinner Shuchi Upadhyay.
Offspinner Sneh Rana's strong WPL showing and her comeback to the ODI squad in the tri-series meant competition for spin places intensified. On that tour, left-arm spinner N Shree Charani emerged as one of the standouts and complemented Rana with six wickets at an economy of 5.39.
But when Upadhyay was injured, Radha found herself recalled for the England ODIs ahead of the World Cup. Her three games yielded just one wicket, and with India leaning towards a combination of two frontline spinners alongside Deepti Sharma, the team balance once again worked against Radha.
During her time away from the international circuit in 2023, Radha worked extensively on her lines and release points. She moved away from bowling just stump-to-stump to operating a touch wider of off-stump. As a bowler capable of getting the ball to drift both ways, she uses her pace range - in the mid-70s kph - to vary flight, forcing indecision and mis-hits.
On the eve of the Bangladesh game, India bowling coach Aavishkar Salvi was asked about the conversations he'd had with Radha and other fringe bowlers.
"The conversation between the coaching group and the players is generally the kind of mindset what they are having, the kind of areas they need to work upon, the kind of strengths that we want them to operate onto the games," he said. "Everybody is inspiring and everybody is motivated for the World Cup.
"So that doesn't rule out that even if they are not getting a chance, they still turn up for the practice sessions and they are very keen on working on their different aspects. So, the quality of their bowling they try to work upon. So, during the practice sessions they come with a mindset that we will work, we will iron out our skills and, and probably use it into the game whenever we get an opportunity."
When India decided to experiment in the dead rubber against Bangladesh, Radha replaced Rana, joining Charani as the second left-arm spinner in the XI. It turned out to be a showcase of the progress Radha had made, this time in ODIs.
Brought on after a rain break following left-hander Rubya Haider's dismissal, Radha immediately found rhythm. Her loop and control denied Bangladesh any scoring momentum. In the 22nd over, she dismissed Sobhana Mostary - who looked the most assured of Bangladesh's batters - with a 76 kph delivery that dipped late and invited the drive, only for Mostary to spoon it to mid-off.
Her next two wickets came in classic fashion: a fuller ball that went straight through Nahida Akter, followed by one that drifted in from around the wicket, drawing Rabeya Khan down the track and through the gate. She nearly had a fourth when Nishita Akter Nishi survived a close DRS call the very next ball.
In between, Radha produced another of her signature moments in the field - a sharp direct hit from point that caught Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana short at the non-striker's end.
"The way Radha played today gives us another option for the next game," Harmanpreet Kaur said at the post-match presentation.
Radha's spell reaffirmed India's depth in spin, even if she's unlikely to feature in the semi-final, with Rana expected to return, but her performance underscored India's bench strength.
India also rested young seamer Kranti Gaud for the Bangladesh game, bringing Amanjot Kaur back into the XI. With Radha impressing in Navi Mumbai - the venue of the semi-final - and Charani continuing to build her credentials, India have a healthy mix of combinations to consider. Whether the team management opts to field both left-arm spinners against Australia - who have just two left-handers in the top four - remains to be seen.