India wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia has been signed by Brisbane Heat as a replacement for Jess Jonassen, who has been ruled out of the Women's Big Bash League owing to a hip issue. Bhatia will link up with the Heat squad before their second fixture of the season, a match against Sydney Thunder in Sydney on November 1, and will remain with the club for the full tournament. She is the only Indian player taking part in this year's competition.

Bhatia, aged 25, carries the experience of four Tests, 28 ODIs and 26 T20Is into the Heat set-up. She has also appeared in one Test, three ODIs and two T20Is on Australian soil, giving her a working familiarity with local conditions, including at Allan Border Field, the Heat's home ground.

Why did Brisbane Heat need a replacement for Jess Jonassen?

Jonassen's hip problem forced her out of the tournament before it had properly begun, leaving the Heat short of a key player. The club moved swiftly to secure an experienced international batter to cover the vacancy. Heat head coach Mark Sorrell spoke about the club's decision to bring Bhatia in.

"Being able to sign such a quality, experienced international player so close to the tournament is great boost for us. We will miss Jess, of course, but it is reassuring to bring in another strong scoring left-hander into our batting line-up. Yastika has good experience playing in Australia and at Allan Border Field, so we are confident she will fit in nicely with the group," Sorrell said as quoted by Cricinfo.

Alongside Bhatia, England spinner Sarah Glenn and Ireland allrounder Orla Prendergast make up Heat's two other overseas signings for the season.

What does Yastika Bhatia bring to Brisbane Heat?

In WBBL 2024, Bhatia featured in six matches for Melbourne Stars and finished as the side's second-highest run-scorer, accumulating 154 runs at a strike rate of 104.76. Only Meg Lanning's tally of 158 runs placed ahead of hers in that campaign.

Bhatia's return to competitive cricket has been a significant one. She ruptured her ACL in September last year and subsequently missed nearly 18 months of the game, a period that encompassed India's ODI World Cup triumph in 2025. She made her international comeback at the T20 World Cup held in June in England. The following month, she made history by becoming the first woman to register a Test century at Lord's, doing so as part of India's 270-run victory over England.

Bhatia had most recently represented Trinbago Knight Riders in the Women's Caribbean Premier League before this WBBL stint. Her return to the competition sees her switch franchises, moving to Brisbane Heat rather than rejoining her former WBBL side Melbourne Stars.