The defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), are ready for the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 season. Before the mini-auction, they had four spots to fill and therefore, signed four Indian players at the mini-auction in Bengaluru. With six foreign players in the squad, they look balanced and have enough options to adapt to different conditions. They have also included some promising young domestic players who can perform well under Smriti Mandhana’s leadership.
Retained squad: Smriti Mandhana (c), Sabbineni Meghana, Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh, Sophie Molineux, Ekta Bisht, Kate Cross, Kanika Ahuja, Danni Wyatt (traded)
RCB’s core looks strong as they head into the next season. The defending champions will aim to replicate their success under Smriti’s leadership. Experienced players like Perry and Devine will provide valuable support. The spin bowling unit is impressive, featuring Shreyanka, Ekta, Asha, Wareham, and Sophie.
Before the auction, they traded England star Danni Wyatt from UP Warriorz, adding another option at the top of the order. Perry was the highest run-scorer in the recent Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) for the Sydney Sixers, scoring 424 runs in 10 innings at an average of 53.00 and a strike rate of 137.21. Smriti can also rely on Perry as a bowling option alongside Devine, offering solid support to the spin attack.
New recruitments: Prema Rawat (Rs. 1.20 Crore), Joshitha VJ (Rs. 10 Lakh), Raghvi Bist (Rs. 10 Lakh), Jagravi Pawar (Rs. 10 Lakh)
Prema made headlines when RCB signed her for a staggering Rs. 1.2 crore. She impressed for the Mussoorie Thunders in the inaugural Uttarakhand Premier League, taking four wickets in three games and showcasing excellent fielding skills. In the recent Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, the young leg-spinner claimed seven wickets in her last six games.
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Jagravi, from Mumbai, stood out with her performances, especially in the final of the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy. She was the tournament’s highest wicket-taker, securing 16 wickets in 11 games and playing a key role in Mumbai’s title-winning campaign.
Joshitha, a rising star currently representing India Under-19s, adds further depth to the squad. Players like her and Jagravi can provide strong support to Renuka as bowling partners in the upcoming season.
Raghvi has also had an impressive domestic season for Uttarakhand. The 20-year-old is primarily known for her top-order batting but can also contribute with useful bowling spells. She finished as the fifth-highest run-scorer in the recent Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy, scoring 162 runs in five innings.
Overall, the squad looks strong enough to defend the WPL trophy. However, there are injury concerns for Shreyanka and Asha Sobhana. Both players are expected to be fully fit by the start of the tournament’s third edition. To cover for them, the team has backed players like Prema.
One area that has surprised RCB fans is the lack of a backup wicketkeeper for Richa Ghosh. If she faces an injury, the team might struggle to find someone to take on the wicketkeeping duties.
Overall Rating: 8.5/10
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