Who is Raghvi Bist? India A batter who scored 93 & 86 against Australia A in the Unofficial Test.
Raghvi Bist has firmly announced herself on the bigger stage with a match-defining performance for India A Women in the only unofficial Test against Australia A Women at Brisbane.
At a time when India’s top order collapsed cheaply in the first innings, Bist displayed maturity well beyond her years, crafting a resilient 93 that rescued the innings and gave her side a fighting total.
She followed it up with another composed 86 in the second innings, once again holding the middle order together and ensuring India A built a commanding lead. These knocks, against quality opposition and in testing conditions, have put her name in the spotlight.
Roots in Uttarakhand Cricket
Born on October 11, 2004, in Changora village, Tehri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, Bist’s cricketing journey began far away from the mainstream academies of India’s metro cities. Representing Uttarakhand, she quickly rose through the ranks with her consistent batting.
Her breakthrough came in 2022 when she smashed a double century in the Women’s U-19 one-day tournament, joining the likes of Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues in an elite list. This innings not only underlined her talent but also gave a strong message that Uttarakhand cricket could produce stars ready for the national stage.
Climbing the ranks: Domestic to India colours
After making her Senior Women’s T20 debut in 2019 and her List A debut in 2021, Bist built a reputation as a reliable middle-order batter. Strong returns in Challenger Trophy fixtures and domestic tournaments kept her in selectors’ radar. In 2024, she earned a place in the India A squad for the Australia tour, where she struck three consecutive fifties in unofficial ODIs—an early indication of her temperament against top teams.
That form translated into a senior call-up later in the year. Bist made her India debut in December 2024 during the T20I series against West Indies. Though she couldn’t post a big score on debut, she showed promise with her ability to occupy the crease and absorb pressure, something that now reflects in her recent success in Brisbane.
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WPL experience with RCB
The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 added another dimension to her growth when she was picked by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). While she did not get extensive opportunities in the playing XI, the chance to train alongside some of the world’s best cricketers has accelerated her development, sharpening her technique and competitive edge.
The road ahead: Can she fill India’s Middle-Order gaps?
What makes Bist’s story compelling is her ability to adapt across formats. At just 20, she has already shown the temperament to handle the demands of red-ball cricket—a rarity in women’s cricket given the limited opportunities in the format. More importantly, her recent form raises questions about her role in the 50-over setup.
India will soon need reinforcements in the middle order as senior player Harmanpreet Kaur approaches the final phase of her career. If Jemimah Rodrigues and Harleen Deol get injured, the batting order often looks unsettled. In such a scenario, Bist, with her calm approach and ability to play long innings at No. 4 or 5, could well be groomed as a successor in that space.
Though she has not been fully utilized as a bowler yet, her ability to bowl medium pace gives her the potential to grow into a batting all-rounder, a role India desperately needs for balance in ODIs.
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Conclusion
Raghvi Bist’s back-to-back fifties in Brisbane have done more than just win India A respect—they have underlined her growing stature as a dependable middle-order batter for the future. From the small lanes of Uttarakhand to making headlines in Australia, her story is a reflection of determination and ambition. If nurtured well, she could soon be the answer to India’s search for solidity and flexibility in the middle order, carrying forward the torch lit by some of the greats before her.
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