India fast bowler Renuka Singh Thakur has admitted that she is going through a challenging phase with the ball but remains confident of rediscovering her trademark swing ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England and Wales next month.
After India’s disappointing 1-4 defeat in the T20I series against South Africa, Renuka’s form became one of the biggest concerns for the team management. The right-arm pacer, who has been India’s lead fast bowler in recent years, managed only two wickets in four matches during the series as South Africa’s batters dominated India’s attack in home conditions.
The series was viewed as a crucial preparation assignment ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup. Renuka acknowledged that things had not gone according to plan for her personally and revealed that she is now using the short break before the World Cup to work specifically on regaining movement with the new ball.
“I practise every day, but it’s not like I swing the ball every time. I struggled a lot with my bowling when I played in South Africa. But now I have a time of 10-15 days to bring my swing back,” Renuka said in an interview with PTI.
The Indian women’s team is currently participating in a week-long training camp at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru before departing for England. The tour will include a three-match T20I series against England ahead of the World Cup, along with a one-off Test match at Lord’s.
Renuka explained that she has been trying to understand where things changed in her bowling over the last few months. “When you don’t perform well, a lot of things do not work for you. I haven’t been able to swing the ball for some time, so I am trying to bring my swing back. I am checking my old videos to see what I used to do and hoping that it comes back,” she said.
Since making her India debut in 2021, Renuka has become one of the most important players in the women’s team because of her ability to strike early and trouble batters with swing. Her performances in England during the Commonwealth Games and previous international tours showed how effective she can be in conditions that assist seam bowling.
The 30-year-old said swing remains the strongest part of her game and believes early wickets are critical to India’s chances in T20 cricket. “I am working on my swing bowling since it is my strength. It is always beneficial for the team if the ball swings and I can get two to three wickets at the top for the team,” Renuka said.
India’s ongoing camp in Bengaluru has focused heavily on correcting the mistakes made during the South Africa series. Renuka indicated that the camp has given players an opportunity to address weaknesses before entering a packed international schedule where adjustments become more difficult once matches begin.
Away from current cricket, Renuka also reflected on the early stages of her career and the unusual way she first became interested in pace bowling. Growing up in her village, she often played cricket using cloth balls, where only fast bowling was allowed. Her admiration for former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan then shaped her ambitions as a young cricketer. “After that, I saw a lot of bowling of Zaheer Khan and I used to think, ‘He bowls so well.’ I had this mindset that I also want to become Zaheer Khan and bowl like him. He used to swing it both ways,” Renuka said.
Renuka also spoke about how an India camp in 2019 changed her understanding of professional cricket. Training alongside senior players such as Harmanpreet Kaur made her realise the standards required to succeed consistently at the international level.
Since then, she has developed into the leader of India’s pace attack across formats. With conditions in England expected to favour swing bowlers, India will now hope Renuka can rediscover her best form in time for the Women’s T20 World Cup as the team targets its first ICC title in the format.
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