Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) played an interesting XI against Mumbai Indians (MI) in the opening game of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026. They played a bowling-heavy lineup, with Radha Yadav, who generally bats in the lower order, promoted to No.5.
Additionally, RCB also excluded Georgia Voll from the XI when they had a spot for an additional batter in the middle. Their head coach, Malolan Rangarajan, explained the thought process behind the move, highlighting Radha's domestic exploits with the bat while labelling Voll's exclusion a selection call.
"It was a selection call [to not play Georgia Voll]. It was the combination we wanted to go in with. Historically, if you saw RCB ever since 2024, we've always had an overseas spinner in our lineup, and we believe that's the way we'd like to line up. With that said, anything could happen. If you see even where we batted Radha, it's not something that's just happened one day prior. Radha bats for India A at number 4 and 5. Radha bats for Baroda at 4 and 5."
Why RCB can't afford Radha Yadav at No.5 going forward in WPL 2026
It was a one-player show for RCB in the opening game, as Nadine de Klerk played a blinder to take her team over the line. However, they must give their batters more cushion by extending the depth, and a straightforward solution is to bring in Georgia Voll at the top by removing Linsey Smith.
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While opening the innings, Voll has 1125 runs at an average of 26.78 and a strike rate of 26.78 and a strike rate of 141.15 in 46 T20 innings, including six fifties. Additionally, Grace Harris will shift to the middle order and make RCB's middle order the most explosive in the tournament, with Richa Ghosh and Nadine de Klerk.
By batting Radha at No.5, RCB are restricting themselves big time since she can't bat as aggressively as the likes of Harris and Ghosh combined. The bowling department already have enough options, and they can afford to drop one of the spinners from the XI.
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