Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India]: As the eagerly anticipated Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 auction approaches, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) head coach Luke Williams has spoken about his team’s preparations, highlighting the retention of a strong core from the previous season.
With the WPL Player Auction List now released, the auction will take place in Bengaluru on December 15, with 120 players up for grabs, including 91 Indian and 29 overseas cricketers. Among the 120 players, 82 are uncapped Indian players and 8 are uncapped overseas players. The auction will offer 19 available slots for teams to fill, including five reserved for overseas players.
RCB’s Retained Core and Auction Strategy
Williams emphasized the importance of maintaining consistency in the squad by retaining a solid core from the 2024 season, during which RCB emerged as defending champions after defeating Delhi Capitals in the final. He said, “We have looked to retain a solid core of the squad that was successful in last year’s tournament to maintain that consistency within the team on and off the field. However, the mini-auction does provide a great opportunity for us to keep evolving and add additional players to our line-up that we think could impact the WPL and improve our squad.”
RCB’s Auction Slots and Overseas Player Rule
RCB currently has four slots available in the upcoming auction but has already filled their quota of overseas players. Teams can add a seventh overseas player only if she is from an Associate Nation. Players from Associate Nations registered for the auction include UAE’s Samaira Dharnidharka, Theertha Satish, and Scotland’s Sarah Bryce.
RCB’s Retained Players Ahead of the Auction
RCB announced the retention of 14 players, including six overseas cricketers, ahead of the WPL 2025 auction. The retained list features captain Smriti Mandhana, star batter Ellyse Perry, and wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, key players from the championship-winning squad.
Retained Players List:
- Smriti Mandhana
- Ellyse Perry (Overseas)
- Richa Ghosh
- Sabbineni Meghana
- Shreyanka Patil
- Georgia Wareham (Overseas)
- Asha Sobhana
- Renuka Singh
- Sophie Devine (Overseas)
- Sophie Molineux (Overseas)
- Ekta Bisht
- Kanika Ahuja
- Kate Cross (Overseas)
- Danielle Wyatt-Hodge (Overseas)
As RCB prepares for the auction, they remain focused on evolving their squad to maintain their competitive edge in the 2025 season, with the defending champions eager to add more talent to their already formidable lineup.