As the Women’s Premier League (WPL) gears up for its fourth edition, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have taken a decisive early stride by retaining four key pillars of their side, skipper Smriti Mandhana, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh, Australian superstar Ellyse Perry, and off-spinner Shreyanka Patil, ahead of the WPL 2026 Mega Auction scheduled for 27 November in New Delhi.
The Bengaluru-based franchise has confirmed a retention spend of 8.85 crore, leaving 6.15 crore in their purse with one Right to Match (RTM) card available to strategically use during the auction.
Led by Smriti Mandhana, RCB have opted for stability and clarity at the start of the new WPL cycle, retaining a balance of top-order aggression, middle-order composure, all-round utility, and domestic spin depth. Head coach Malolan Rangarajan expressed conviction in the team’s direction, describing the retentions as “a very exciting prospect” that gives RCB “a captain and opening batter, a wicketkeeper and powerful middle-order batter, a top-order all-rounder, plus an Indian off-spinner.”
After finishing fourth with just four points in the inaugural 2023 season, RCB scripted one of the most memorable redemption stories in Indian franchise history. In 2024, Mandhana’s side clinched their maiden WPL title, their first-ever franchise championship across genders, defeating Delhi Capitals by eight wickets on 17 March 2024. The triumph, which predated the RCB men’s maiden IPL title in 2025 under Rajat Patidar, marked a watershed moment for Bengaluru sport.
However, their 2025 campaign saw a downturn, with the side managing only six points from eight games to again finish fourth. As the new cycle begins, RCB’s leadership has shifted focus toward a fresh balance between continuity and rejuvenation.
Smriti Mandhana (3.50 crore)
The left-handed opener continues to lead RCB’s charge into a new era. In WPL 2025, Mandhana scored 197 runs at a strike rate of 136.80 and an average of 24.62, including two half-centuries. Overall, she stands as the franchise’s second-highest run-scorer with 646 runs at a strike rate of 128.68 and an average of 24.84 in 26 innings. Coach Rangarajan emphasised her enduring value: “With Smriti, we get a left-handed opener, a very aggressive batter, and a calm leader who is tactically astute. She was the captain who brought RCB its first title.”
Richa Ghosh (2.75 crore)
Ghosh has emerged as a fearless middle-order mainstay. In the previous season, she was RCB’s second-highest run-scorer with 230 runs at an explosive strike rate of 175.57 and an average of 38.33, including two half-centuries. Across three seasons, she has compiled 625 runs at an average of 34.72 and a strike rate of 150.96. Rangarajan noted her evolution: “She is among, if not the best, middle-order batter, plus being a wicketkeeper gives us all-round ability. Her association with risk and how she faces pressure situations is exactly what we want in our batting order.”
Ellyse Perry (2 crore)
RCB’s most consistent performer over three seasons, Perry finished as the team’s leading run-scorer in 2025 with 372 runs at a strike rate of 148.80 and an astonishing average of 93, including four half-centuries. She also chipped in with three wickets in five innings. With the bat, her aggregate of 972 runs at an average of 64.80 and strike rate of 132.96 puts her among the league’s premier all-rounders. “I could go on about her achievements on the field,” Rangarajan reflected, “but what stands out is what happens behind the scenes, the standards she sets in the dressing room. She gives us three skills and is a live wire on the field.”
Shreyanka Patil (60 lakhs)
After missing WPL 2025 due to injury, Patil’s return injects renewed domestic strength into the spin department. She has 19 wickets from 15 innings at an average of 18.36 and an economy of 8.51, including two four-wicket hauls, making her the joint-highest wicket-taker for RCB alongside Georgia Wareham. Rangarajan explained the late decision to retain her: “We wanted to give ourselves time since she had been on the sidelines. After watching her tournaments and doing due diligence, we retained her because she’s an off spinner who can bowl through all three phases, a rare skill in Indian conditions.”
While RCB’s four retentions cement the franchise’s new core, the decision to release leg-spinner Asha Sobhana and Australian all-rounder Georgia Wareham has raised eyebrows. Wareham, who shared the record for most wickets for RCB, had been integral to their 2024 title campaign. The releases indicate a shift toward investing in local spin options and freeing overseas slots for batting or pace reinforcements at the Mega Auction.
Rangarajan confirmed that the current setup offers “a solid base” as RCB head into the auction “with absolute clarity and knowing what we need to get.” With 6.15 crore remaining, the franchise will aim to strengthen its bowling unit and finish construction of a balanced eleven capable of reclaiming their 2024 glory.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Released Players:
Sabbhineni Meghana, Nuzhat Parween, Kanika Ahuja, Raghvi Bist, Sneh Rana, Asha Sobhana, Ekta Bisht, VJ Joshitha, Jagravi Pawar, Prema Rawat, Renuka Singh, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Charlie Dean, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Sophie Devine, Sophie Molineux, Georgia Wareham, Kate Cross
As the WPL 2026 season nears, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru story comes full circle, from the heartbreak of 2023 to triumph in 2024 and rebuilding in 2025. Their retentions reflect a conscious effort to preserve leadership, continuity, and quality while preparing for another tilt at the title.
With Mandhana’s leadership, Perry’s experience, Ghosh’s audacity, and Patil’s promise, RCB’s retained quartet embodies the blend of composure, aggression, and hope that defines the franchise’s renewed spirit heading into the Mega Auction in New Delhi.
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