Just weeks before the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, India’s plans have been jolted by an unexpected injury blow. Wicket-keeper batter Yastika Bhatia has been ruled out with a left knee injury sustained during the preparatory camp in Visakhapatnam.
In her place, the selectors have drafted in Uma Chetry, a promising cricketer from Assam, who now carries the weight of both opportunity and expectation on her shoulders. This transition, though enforced, marks a significant shift in India’s squad dynamics. Bhatia had been in fine form and was poised for a major role, while Chetry is still untested at the ODI level. The move pits experience against potential and sets the stage for a fascinating subplot in India’s World Cup journey.
Yastika Bhatia: A Setback at the Wrong Time
Since her international debut in 2021, Yastika Bhatia has been a steady presence for India as a left-handed wicket-keeper batter. Her top-order role brought not just runs but also variety, with the left-right combination often unsettling opposition attacks. Her statistics underline her value: 28 ODIs, 666 runs at an average of 25, including four fifties. Importantly, her recent form was excellent. Against Australia A in August, she scored 59, 66, and 42 a series of match-shaping innings that confirmed her readiness for the World Cup stage.
Her injury, therefore, represents more than the loss of a squad member; it robs India of a batter who had regained confidence, found form, and looked set to influence big matches.
Uma Chetry: A Trailblazer from Assam
The replacement, Uma Chetry, brings a different story one rooted in aspiration and breakthrough. From Kandulimari village in Assam’s Golaghat district, Chetry has become the first woman from the Northeast to be selected for a senior Indian World Cup squad. Her path was far from easy. Playing cricket with her brother on village roads, she was encouraged by her mother despite financial struggles. From state cricket in 2017, to representing India A, to making her senior debut in 2024, her rise has been steady.
At the international level, Chetry has played 7 T20Is, scoring 37 runs, while her domestic record is more robust: over 500 runs in List A cricket with three fifties. While she remains uncapped in ODIs, her selection signals the selectors’ belief in her long-term potential.
Comparing Bhatia and Chetry : a direct look at the numbers shows why this is such a bold change:
| Category | Yastika Bhatia | Uma Chetry |
| ODI Career | 28 Matches, 666 Runs, Avg 25.0 | Uncapped |
| Recent ODI Form | 59, 66, 42 vs Aus A | N/A |
| T20I Career | 19 Matches, 214 Runs, Avg 16 | 7 Matches, 37 Runs |
| Domestic List A | N/A | 29 Matches, 504 Runs |
| Batting Style | Left-handed, Top-order | Right-handed, Middle-order |
| Wicket-keeping Record | 14 Catches, 10 Stumpings (ODIs) | 3 Catches, 1 Stumping (T20Is) |
India loses a proven top-order left-hander but gains a young right-hander with untapped promise. The absence of a left-hand option in the top order may affect the team’s balance, forcing tactical adjustments. With Yastika sidelined, Richa Ghosh is now the undisputed first-choice wicket-keeper. Chetry is set to serve as backup but her presence is crucial. In a long tournament, injuries or fatigue can strike, and having a specialist like Chetry ensures depth.
The bigger challenge lies in batting. Yastika’s ability to anchor and rotate strike in the top order provided stability. Without her, India may need to rely more heavily on Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Jemimah Rodrigues for left-right variety and batting depth. The upcoming ODI series against Australia will serve as the first test of how India copes with this reshuffle. Whether Chetry is handed a debut or kept as a reserve could reveal the team management’s risk appetite ahead of the World Cup.
Opportunities and Risks
- Opportunities:
- Chetry’s inclusion opens the door for a fresh face from an underrepresented region, expanding cricket’s reach in the Northeast.
- If given a chance and she performs, it could validate India’s domestic talent pipeline and strengthen the team’s bench.
- Risks:
- Lack of ODI experience could hurt if Chetry is pressed into action in a high-stakes game.
- Losing a left-handed batter reduces tactical flexibility in the top order.
The World Cup, hosted at home, is a golden opportunity for India to claim a long-awaited ICC trophy. While Yastika Bhatia’s injury is a cruel setback, it has given Uma Chetry a chance to script history. For India, success will depend on how quickly the squad adjusts to this enforced change, and how well they can balance experience with raw potential. For Chetry, this is a chance to move from being a promising name to a national mainstay.
One player’s heartbreak has become another’s breakthrough and that is the essence of sport.
