Former India batter Veda Krishnamurthy has called for Radha Yadav to replace Bharti Fulmali in India's playing XI at the 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup, arguing that the left-arm spin bowling all-rounder's batting flexibility and exceptional fielding make her the stronger option at this stage of the tournament. Krishnamurthy shared her views on JioStar following India's match against Pakistan at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

The Case for Radha Yadav

Bharti was preferred over Yastika Bhatia in the Pakistan fixture, with Jemimah Rodrigues slotting in at her customary number three position. However, Bharti's outing was brief and forgettable — she was deceived by the flight of Sadia Iqbal and stumped for a three-ball duck.

'I would still like to see Radha Yadav coming in for Bharti Fulmali. The reason is that Radha can be used in different batting positions, anywhere from No. 5 to No. 7. She is extraordinary in the field, always a plus ten asset, and if required, she can contribute with the ball as well,' Krishnamurthy said.

Renuka Thakur: Save Her for Later Rounds

Krishnamurthy also weighed in on the deployment of pacer Renuka Thakur, suggesting India hold her back strategically. She noted that Renuka's numbers against South Africa are not particularly strong, with Laura Wolvaardt having troubled her in the past.

'When you're playing Australia and, if India qualify for the semi-finals, potentially England, West Indies or New Zealand, she has excellent numbers against those teams. So, I think she will be more useful for us in the later stages of the tournament,' Krishnamurthy said. She added that apart from bringing in Radha, she saw no other changes warranted in the squad.

Harmanpreet–Mandhana Partnership Set the Platform

Krishnamurthy also praised the 91-run partnership between captain Harmanpreet Kaur (36) and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (68), crediting their measured approach for laying the foundation of India's total of 170/6.

'Both of them are experienced enough and were quick to understand the situation. What I liked about Smriti's batting at the start was that she assessed the wicket in the first couple of overs and realised there was a bit of slowness in the surface. She waited on the back foot and played under her eyes as much as possible,' she said.

According to Krishnamurthy, the pair deliberately delayed their attacking phase until around the ninth over, after which boundaries began to flow. Their use of footwork against both spinners and pacers drew particular praise. The partnership, she said, directly enabled Richa Ghosh to arrive at the crease and launch an explosive 34 off 17 balls at the death.

India's Bigger Picture at the Tournament

This comes amid India's push to navigate a competitive group stage at the 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in England. The selection debate around Radha versus Bharti reflects a broader strategic question: whether India prioritise batting depth or a more specialist approach. Notably, Krishnamurthy's advocacy for Radha is rooted in match-situation adaptability — a quality increasingly prized in the shortest format. With knockout rounds potentially featuring Australia, England, or the West Indies, India's XI choices in the group stage carry significant downstream consequences.