Gujarat Giants (GG) have been the most disappointing team in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) over the past two seasons. They have won only four matches across two editions, giving their fans very few joyful moments. All eyes were on the franchise during the mini-auction in Bengaluru, where they had four spots to fill. They spent a large amount of money on Deandra Dottin and Simran Shaikh. Beth Mooney is expected to captain the team again. However, whether they can perform better this season and give their fans more memorable moments remains to be seen.
Retained squad: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Dayalan Hemalatha, Harleen Deol, Laura Wolvaardt, Shabnam Shakil, Tanuja Kanwar, Phoebe Litchfield, Meghna Singh, Kashvee Gautam, Priya Mishra, Mannat Kashyap, Bharti Fulmali, Sayali Satghare.
Another year and the team will again rely heavily on their foreign stars. Mooney, Gardner, Wolvaardt, and Litchfield are all crucial for the team’s success. However, selecting the final four overseas players for each game will be a challenge for the management. With Mooney likely to continue as captain and Gardner valued for her all-round abilities, the remaining two overseas spots will be under scrutiny, especially with the inclusion of Dottin.
The Indian core lacks experience, which could hurt the team in the upcoming edition of the competition. Harleen has recently returned after a long injury layoff, while Priya Mishra is new to the international stage. Tanuja has been in and out of the national team. Players like Meghna, Mannat, Bharti, Sayali, and Kashvee need to step up with impactful performances to justify the franchise’s faith in them. Hemalatha has also struggled with her strike rate and consistency, which remain a concern.
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New recruitments: Deandra Dottin (Rs. 1.70 crore), Simran Shaikh (Rs. 1.90 crore), Danielle Gibson (Rs. 30 lakh), Prakashika Naik (Rs. 10 lakh)
Dottin, fondly known as the ‘World Boss’, made headlines when Gujarat acquired her for ₹1.70 crore. The West Indies legend had a strong showing at the Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai. She continued to impress with her all-round contributions during the ongoing tour of India and is now busy with the three-match ODI series.
Ahead of the ODI series opener, she shared her excitement about joining Gujarat for the next WPL season in an exclusive chat with RevSportz. “I am really excited,” she said. “I do not want to get too excited. It is really good to be a part of the Gujarat team in the WPL 2025. I am just looking forward to playing good cricket and hopefully, getting them across the line to win the trophy next year.” Known for her explosive power-hitting, Dottin also adds value with her bowling at crucial moments and her exceptional fielding skills.
Simran emerged as the most expensive player, with a final bid of ₹1.90 crore. In the inaugural season, the young Mumbai batter played nine games for UP Warriorz but managed only 29 runs. Last season, she went unsold. However, after impressive performances in domestic cricket, Gujarat decided to invest heavily in her. The high price tag surprised many fans, and with it comes significant pressure. She will need to deliver consistently to justify the expectations.
Prakashika Naik could be a valuable addition, given her experience of 38 T20s. She has taken 40 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 5.30. The leg-spinner could prove to be a reliable option if given opportunities.
Danielle Gibson appears to be a backup option. Known for her all-round skills with right-arm medium-pace bowling and right-hand batting, she might only be considered when specific team needs arise.
Overall, this team seems likely to face challenges once again, primarily due to uncertainty around the performance of their Indian core. Four foreign stars alone cannot win a tournament; a strong and dependable Indian core is essential for success. The team might have done better by reevaluating their retained players list, especially considering the Indian players they chose to keep.
Overall Rating: 7/10
Also Read: “India not going to just give us the game”: Deandra Dottin ahead of ODI series