At 10:05 PM, with the third wicket down, Radha Yadav stepped out of the dugout, loosening her shoulders and ambling towards the pitch at an uncharacteristically measured pace. She took guard in the middle to scenes that felt distinctly out of place — a moment that would rank high among the most unconventional tactical calls in the WPL’s brief history.

This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment gamble or a pinch-hitting experiment. Radha’s promotion was premeditated, clearly laid out on the team sheet. Behind her stood six specialist bowlers and bowling all-rounders, collectively tasked with seeing through what was shaping up to be a challenging chase.

Despite Radha’s own admission of her batting ability — and her middle-order role in domestic cricket — the numbers told a different story at the elite level. She had batted above No. 8 only twice in T20Is. With a highest T20I score of 14 and a best of 27* across all top-tier T20s (39 of her 50 innings coming at No. 8 or lower), the responsibility placed on her shoulders was significant.

So when she walked in at 62 for 3 in the seventh over, it was hardly surprising that RCB couldn’t make a 155-run chase — the kind their coach would have “given an arm” for — look straightforward. Amelia Kerr needed just one delivery to deceive Radha with a googly and knock her over. Three balls later, Richa Ghosh followed her back, leaving RCB wobbling at 65 for 5, despite having dictated terms for much of the first half of the contest.

This situation, however, wasn’t accidental. It was deliberate. RCB had opted for depth in bowling over batting firepower, even leaving the destructive Georgia Voll on the bench. Of their nine bowling options, only six were eventually required — such was the luxury at their disposal that even Grace Harris, D Hemalatha, and No. 9 Prema Rawat’s spin went unused.

“It was a selection call,” head coach Malolan Rangarajan acknowledged after RCB’s opening win against Mumbai Indians. “It was the combination we wanted. Since 2024, we’ve consistently gone in with an overseas spinner, and that’s how we want to line up. We were very clear about it.”

He was equally firm in defending Radha’s batting position. “This isn’t something decided overnight. Radha bats at four or five for India A and Baroda. We’re trying to find the best way to combine our players. Arundhati has been batting very well and has a clear plan. Everyone scores runs differently.”

“Today, she needed to spend time. It was unfortunate how she got out. Given another chance, she’d want to hit it further — and she has our full backing to do that.”

Rangarajan also stressed the preparation behind the scenes. “There’s been a lot of work over the last two months. We don’t just turn up the day before and pick an XI. There’s thought, detail, and clarity about how we want to play and win this tournament.”

Backing Linsey Smith was part of that vision. “She’s a world-class bowler, having won two titles in the last eight months. We’ll continue to back her — and everyone else. Players know their roles.”

On the field, several contributions ensured RCB’s thinking didn’t unravel. Arundhati Reddy steadied the innings after Ghosh’s dismissal, stretching the contest long enough to keep the defending champions under pressure, while Prema Rawat chipped in with crucial late runs.

Like Radha, players such as Arundhati, Shreyanka Patil, and Rawat are seldom relied upon for their batting outside domestic cricket. Ultimately, though, RCB’s hopes hinged on Nadine de Klerk’s late surge — a familiar rescue act reminiscent of her World Cup exploits for South Africa.

Fortune favoured de Klerk along the way: dropped three times and spared a run-out chance. The chase didn’t unfold as planned, escalating to eight an over in the final four overs. But cornered in the last over, she found the muscle — smashing two sixes and two boundaries to finish the job.

For a contest that went down to the wire — and one in which RCB found themselves chasing at phases when they should have been comfortably in front — a more evenly balanced XI might well have tipped the scales in their favour. Especially so at a venue where seven of the ten matches in WPL 2023 were won by teams batting second. Having won the toss, RCB held a clear advantage, even in the absence of dew, as Malolan Rangarajan later confirmed. That advantage was further consolidated by Lauren Bell’s incisive opening spell, which immediately put the defending champions under pressure.

From Mumbai Indians’ perspective, the batting display was an anomaly.

In helpful swing conditions, Amelia Kerr — pressed into opening duties due to Hayley Matthews’ absence — looked completely out of rhythm. Beaten first by an inswinger and then repeatedly by the ball moving away, she laboured through 11 deliveries before opening her account and eventually miscued a pull to extra cover. Nat Sciver-Brunt followed shortly after, missing a drive and being stumped for a single-digit score — her first such dismissal in 13 innings. Harmanpreet Kaur showed flashes of intent but never quite settled, falling for 20.

Between them, the senior trio managed just 28 runs — a rare collective failure and a start MI have seldom experienced over the last three seasons. Historically, MI’s top five has been among the most formidable in the league, amassing 3,579 runs at an average of 30.85 during that period. With Yastika Bhatia now at Gujarat Giants and Matthews unavailable, the responsibility to anchor the innings rested squarely on these senior batters. When the top five played together previously, their lowest combined contribution had been 37.

That made MI’s position unfamiliar. But as de Klerk would later do for RCB, S Sajana capitalised on good fortune. Dropped twice early — both straightforward chances — she made RCB pay with a brisk 45 off 25 balls. Nicola Carey provided vital support, adding 40 of her own, helping MI scrape to a competitive, if below-par, total.

In contrast, RCB burst out of the blocks. Grace Harris and Smriti Mandhana tore into Sciver-Brunt and Carey, smashing 39 runs in just three overs and briefly threatening to end the chase before MI’s long tail even came into play. But once wickets fell in quick succession, the momentum swung sharply, and questions over RCB’s team composition resurfaced.

RCB’s bowling-heavy philosophy had been evident since the auction. That intent only grew clearer when Sayali Satghare was brought in as Ellyse Perry’s replacement.

Malolan explained the thinking behind the strategy. “We picked Voll early in the auction. Once Nadine was secured and we missed out on Shikha [Pandey], we reassessed what was possible. That opened up opportunities for Grace Harris, along with Pooja [Vastrakar] and Arundhati. For the same purse, we managed to get three players — and that was always part of the plan.”

He elaborated on Harris’ role: “With Grace, you’ve seen what she can do in the first three overs. We want her to bat freely — whether it’s for eight, ten, or fifteen balls. We don’t want to rein her in. It takes pressure off Smriti. There’s a lot of talk about the obvious player missing for us [Perry], but there are many ways to build a team. We could go batting-heavy, or we could trust our existing batters to deliver.”

“For us, it’s about allowing players to play to their strengths. If Grace goes in, her job is simple: take the bowlers on and put the opposition under pressure.”

Starting the season with a win has only reinforced belief in that bold, unconventional approach. The two points provide breathing space — and time — to persist with the plan. “We’ve given everyone a defined role,” Malolan admitted. “Winning helps. It allows us to continue backing players in those roles.”