WPL 2025: An Ideal Opportunity for India's Fast Bowlers to Shine

New Delhi, Feb 14 (NationPress) During the initial phase of the 2024 Women’s Premier League (WPL) in Bengaluru, India’s head coach Amol Muzumdar remarked in a guest commentary that the national team was aiming to cultivate a strong pool of fast bowlers from the five-team tournament.

The expansion of the fast bowling talent pool in Indian women’s cricket has been a point of emphasis for former head coach Ramesh Powar since July 2021. However, so far in the two seasons of the WPL, the players who have transitioned to the national team have predominantly been spinners. In the 2024 season alone, five spinners achieved double-wicket figures – Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, and Tanuja Kanwer.

Yet, when considering overall double-wicket figures from the same season, there hasn’t been any Indian fast bowler among them, with Shikha Pandey leading with nine wickets. Shikha was also the sole Indian fast bowler to reach double-wicket figures in WPL 2023, taking 10 wickets, alongside left-arm spinner Saika Ishaque, who claimed 15 wickets.

India has historically been a spin-friendly nation, leading to more opportunities and wickets for spinners in women’s matches. Nevertheless, despite having a legendary fast bowler like Jhulan Goswami and regulars like Renuka Singh Thakur and Pooja Vastrakar (currently injured), the pool of fast bowlers has not significantly increased.

In this context, WPL 2025 could provide an excellent opportunity for fast bowlers to demonstrate their significance alongside spinners in the Indian team. Delhi Capitals (DC) features Arundhati Reddy (who was omitted from the entire home season despite taking four wickets in the ODI against Australia), Shikha Pandey (who has not played for India since the 2023 T20 World Cup), and Titas Sadhu.

The Gujarat Giants (GG) include Sayali Satghare, who debuted in ODI against Ireland in January, along with Shabnam Shakil, Meghna Singh, and all-rounder Kashvee Gautam. Mumbai Indians (MI) showcase fast-bowling all-rounders such as Jintimani Kalita, Akshita Maheshwari, and Amanjot Kaur.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) boasts Renuka and Joshitha VJ, while UP Warriorz (UPW) features Saima Thakor, Anjali Sarvani, and Kranti Goud. “To be honest, fast bowlers are still not prominent in Indian women’s cricket, whether at the under-19 or senior levels. We remain a spin-centric country, so for fast bowlers to make an impact, it’s primarily happening at the WPL stage,” remarked a coach.

“If you analyze how many fast bowlers have bowled their full quota and how much they’ve bowled during the middle overs, it’s very limited since spinners dominate that phase. Only Arundhati Reddy has consistently bowled during the middle overs, and Delhi Capitals will utilize her effectively in that role.

“Looking ahead to WPL 2025, the fast bowling contingent appears promising, with bowlers like Joshitha and Kranti Goud showing potential, alongside Akshita Maheshwari, whose bowling action is notably smooth and effective for in-swinging deliveries, although we’ll need to assess her performance with an older ball.

“There’s a group of players showing great potential, but whether this will translate into success for the Indian team remains to be seen. More work is necessary to instill confidence in the mainstream Indian team regarding the integration of fast bowlers, while the WPL seems more supportive of their development,” stated Aarti Sankaran, a certified Level 3 coach from BCCI, in an interview with IANS from Chennai.

Dedicated camps have been organized at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, focusing on women fast bowlers, and the assessment has revealed that the talent pool in this area looks much stronger than it did 18 months ago, particularly with younger pacers showing promise.

“Titas is among the brightest of the group and has shown resilience after overcoming a stress fracture at an unfortunate time. If you’re Amol Muzumdar, you can be pleased with the prospects of Renuka, Saima, Saili, and the development of Shabnam.

“In the under-19 category, there are also four to five exciting fast bowlers emerging. It’s a positive situation, but whether it will contribute to winning a World Cup is yet to be determined. Besides them, Kashvee Gautam, Jintimani Kalita, and Meghna Singh are also promising, and while Yashasri (previously with UP Warriorz) is absent this time, she is expected to return.

“Pooja will also be back in three to four months, enhancing the fast bowling resources, which look significantly better than 18 months ago. Now there are options available, and there’s no longer the worry about what happens if Renuka is unavailable. Players like Anjali Sarvani have come and gone, but these young fast bowlers are not only skilled but also very athletic,” reported a source keeping track of developments to IANS.

With talents like Joshitha and Shabnam in the WPL, along with Mithila Vinod (who didn’t secure a WPL contract), emerging as reliable fast-bowling options from the victorious U19 Women’s T20 World Cup team, there’s optimism regarding their continued growth into the senior ranks.

“Shabnam has honed her skills to bowl in crucial overs, such as 1, 3, 18, and 20, which is quite challenging. She has gained confidence in her wide yorkers and slower deliveries. Mithila Vinod will handle the tough overs and excel in death bowling, avoiding the easier phases.

“Additionally, she excels as a finisher batting at number six and is an exceptional fielder. Critics may question her World Cup performance, but her ten-ball 16 against Sri Lanka proved vital in elevating India’s score in the final overs, turning a subpar total into a competitive one,” added the source.

As India gears up for the home ODI World Cup later this year and a T20 World Cup next year in England, fans are hopeful that WPL 2025 will be the pivotal moment for India’s fast bowlers to shine, demonstrating their ability to be as dependable as spinners in securing victories for the team.