Radha Yadav is an Indian cricketer (bowler). She is the first woman cricketer from the Gujarat team to be picked up in the Indian women’s cricket team. As of 2022, she has to her credit 4 First-class, 13 List A, and 16 Women’s Twenty20 matches.
Wiki/Biography
Radha Prakash Yadav , popularly known as Radha Yadav, was born on Friday, 21 April 2000 (age 22 years; as of 2022) in Mumbai, Maharashtra. She was born prematurely in the seventh month. Radha’s zodiac sign is Taurus. Her family has its roots in the Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh. She did her elementary schooling at Anandibai Damodar Kale Vidyalaya, Borivali, Mumbai. An average student, Radha excelled at sports since childhood. She used to play cricket and badminton with her colony friends. Besides that Yadav also played kabaddi and kho-kho in school. During one of the weekends, when Radha was playing gully cricket with boys in her society’s compound, she got noticed by Praful Naik (cricket coach), who identified her talent and asked her to start playing with a season ball. Radha was 12 years old at that time. Later, Praful sought permission from Radha’s father to train her in cricket. Talking about it in an interview, Radha said,
He spoke to my dad to seek his permission and my dad agreed. Praful Sir started training me in Mumbai. Back then, we had only 3-4 girls attending the practice sessions.”
Further, talking about her training session, Yadav said,
Initially, I would use other players’ kit. I got my own only when my coach was convinced that I could play hard-ball cricket.”
She learned the nuances of cricket at the Shiv Seva ground in Borivli under the tutelage of Praful. In 2013, Praful shifted Radha from Anandibai Damodar Kale Vidyalaya to Our Lady of Remedy High School, Kandivali West, Mumbai, as her previous school didn’t have their own cricket team. At Our Lady of Remedy, she started playing for the school’s cricket team and performed well in the DSO (school-level tournaments). In 2015, her cricket coach Praful Naik decided to permanently shift to Vadodara; Radha, following her coach, also relocated to the city. She was 15 at that time. In Vadodara, she enrolled herself in Vidya Kunj School from where she completed her schooling.
Radha Yadav during her practise session
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 6″
Hair Colour: Brown
Eye Colour: Brown
Family
Radha Yadav belongs to a lower-middle-class family.
Parents & Siblings
Radha’s father, Omprakash Yadav, owns a makeshift stall in Mumbai; the stall is located on a footpath outside a slum society in Kandivli, Mumbai, and has everything from masalas to breads and cigarettes to vegetables. Her mother is a homemaker. She has two brothers and one sister. Radha is the youngest of them all. Her elder brother, Deepak, helps his father in his stall. Deepak is married and has two kids. Her other brother, Rahul, works as a security guard in a multinational company in Mumbai. Her elder sister’s name is Soni Yadav. Radha once shared that Soni used to play cricket better than her, but she could not pursue it as a career due to domestic problems.
Radha Yadav’s parents
Radha Yadav’s family
Career
Domestic Cricket
Radha Yadav made her debut in domestic cricket on 10 January 2015, playing for Mumbai women’s cricket team against Kerala. She played for the Mumbai team for over a year and later, started playing for Baroda women’s cricket team.
Radha Yadav with her team Baroda
She was named in the Indian women’s squad for the T20 international series against South Africa in 2018 based on her performance in the T20 cricket matches for team Baroda; Yadav took nine wickets and scored 32 (not out) runs in 6 T20 matches for Baroda. Recalling the emotional moment in an interview, Radha said,
I always hoped to achieve something in cricket. I always backed myself. My only wish was to wear the India jersey and sing the national anthem. So, when all this was happening, I couldn’t control my tears.”
In 2019, she competed in the Women’s T20 Challenge on behalf of the IPL Supernovas team. Her team won the tournament.
Radha Yadav with her IPL team after winning the Women’s T20 Challenge 2019
On 9 November 2020, she represented IPL Supernovas in the final match of Women’s T20 Challenge 2020 against Trailblazers; she took 5 wickets in the match and became the first T20 player of Women’s T20 Challenge to do so.
Radha Yadav representing Supernovas in the Women’s T20 Challenge 2020
She also plays for Sydney Sixers, one of two teams from Sydney that competes in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). She has played various matches for Sydney Sixers in WBBL in 2021 and 2022.
Radha Yadav playing for Sydney Sixers against Melbourne Renegades in a WBBL match at Lilac Hill Park in Perth
In 2022, Yadav represented IPL Velocity in the Women’s T20 Challenge.
Radha Yadav playing for IPL Velocity at the Women’s T20 Challenge
She has also played for the West Zone.
International Cricket
Radha Yadav made her Women’s Twenty20 International cricket debut on 13 February 2018 by playing for the Indian team against South Africa Women. In the match, she finished with the figures 0-21. She then played for the Indian women’s cricket team at the 2018 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies. She was the leading wicket-taker for India in the tournament along with Poonam Yadav; both took 8 wickets each.
Radha Yadav playing for team India
In January 2020, she was part of the Indian squad that played in the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia. On 14 March 2021, she made her Women’s One Day International (WODI) debut for India, against South Africa.
Radha Yadav during a cricket match
She was picked in the Indian Test squad for their one-off match against the England women’s cricket team in May 2021. She also plays List ‘A’ matches for team India.
Radha Yadav hitting her delivery stride in a match
Favourites
- Film(s): Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016), Bajirao Mastani (2015)
- Hangout Spot: Marine Drive in Mumbai
Facts/Trivia
- Radha Yadav enjoys watching films, dancing, and travelling in her leisure time.
- She is fond of bikes and loves riding them.
Radha Yadav riding a bike
- Her batting style is Right-hand bat and bowling style is Slow Left-arm Orthodox.
- Her jersey number for international cricket is 21.
- Although she loves chocolates and ice-creams, Radha abstains from eating them in order to stay fit.
- Yadav’s father always supported her daughter in her cricket career. The only concern he had was paying for the equipment and paying the coaching fee as his makeshift stall did not provide a fixed income. Talking about it in a media conversation, Omprakash Yadav said,
I never had a problem with Radha playing cricket, but my worry was meeting expenses. When Sir (Naik) said that he would look after all the expenses, I did not think twice.”
- In an interview, Radha shared that although her father tries his best to keep her away from his fears and hardships, she cannot stay immune to the problems that her family faces. Providing a glimpse of the daily hardships endured by her father, she said,
I check with my father every day whether he faced any problem from the BMC. His response is always positive. He ensures my cricket stays unaffected by all these problems, but I know he is under a lot of stress. He wakes up at 4 am to stock the shop and every night he takes the items back home.
- During a media conversation, Yadav revealed that she never watched cricket on TV until the 2011 Cricket World Cup. She also said that she never knew that women also played at the international level and had not heard of Mithali Raj or Jhulan Goswami until she started playing the game. Revealing about her ignorance for the game, she said,
I thought I would play with boys, but later realised that it would not be possible.”
- Radha follows a non-vegetarian diet.
- Her friends and family members fondly call her Radhay.
- Radha follows a strict workout regimen to maintain her fitness.
Radha Yadav at a gym
- She owns a Honda City.
Radha Yadav posing with her car
- Yadav is managed by Baseline Ventures, a strategic sports marketing and talent management company.
- In 2016, Radha won the Vadodara International Marathon Relay 10kms.
Radha Yadav after winning the Vadodara International Marathon Relay
- Talking about her initial cricket days in an interview, Radha said,
I have played and enjoyed tennis cricket a lot. Tennis cricket has helped me in my fielding. Initially started with fast bowling, but sir told me to try spin bowling. I enjoyed batting more than bowling and I still do.”
- Interestingly, Radha got selected in the Indian women’s Under-19 cricket team, however, she couldn’t play any of the Under-19 matches as she caught dengue fever. By the time she recovered from the illness, Radha had crossed the age limit. She was later selected to play in the Mumbai senior’s team.
- In an interview, when asked about her family’s reaction to her selection to the Indian squad, she replied,
It was surreal. My dad was shedding tears of joy and my mother was hugging me out of happiness. You cannot explain that feeling in words. I was 12 when I started season-ball cricket, playing India in just 5 years is nothing less than a dream.
- During an interview, when she was asked about the most memorable moment of her cricket career, Yadav replied,
My debut for India A against Bangladesh Women’s team last year was very special where I bowled 4 overs, gave just 4 runs and took 2 wickets.”
- Radha shares a great bond with the Indian all-rounder Jemimah Rodrigues. Talking about Jemimah in an interview, Radha said,
I remember playing against Jemimah a lot of times during school days. We were opponents back then, but now are very good friends. She used to play for St. Joseph and I was playing for Our Lady of Remedy High School, Borivali.”
- Radha lives with her family in a 225 sq ft house in a slum society in Kandivli. Her house is located at a short distance from MCA Sachin Tendulkar Gymkhana. It houses nine members of her family including her father, mother, elder brother with his wife and two children, another brother, and an elder sister.
- Radha credits her coach Praful Naik for her success.
- In an interview, while talking about Radha, her coach Praful said,
What puts Radha apart from others is her courage and positive approach towards everything. She gives 100% on the field. I spotted her extraordinary fielding skills first apart from her bowling.”