RCB retain 13 players ahead of WPL 2027 auction
RCB enter the WPL 2027 auction with 13 retained players and Rs 1.15 crore purse after releasing four players.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have retained 13 players and will enter the Women's Premier League 2027 auction on October 28 with a purse of Rs 1.15 crore. The defending champions released four players including Grace Harris and Linsey Smith, leaving space for five new signings including a maximum of two overseas recruits.
Smriti Mandhana leads the retained batters alongside Georgia Voll, while Richa Ghosh and Prathyoosha Kumar are the retained wicketkeepers. The all-rounder group includes Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, Pooja Vastrakar, Ellyse Perry and Nadine de Klerk, with Arundhati Reddy, Sayali Satghare, Prema Rawat and Lauren Bell forming the bowling core.
RCB will target Indian middle-order options such as Tejal Hasabnis at the base price of Rs 30 lakh. The franchise must avoid spending heavily on overseas recruits and instead prioritise domestic depth to maintain squad balance.
CricHubb Take
RCB's decision to retain a large core reduces their auction flexibility but strengthens continuity. The real test will come in identifying an Indian middle-order batter who can bat at number four or five without disturbing the overseas quota.