West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin marks her return to the Women’s Premier League (WPL) ahead of the third edition as she was acquired by the Gujarat Giants for 1.7 Crores.
Though Dottin expressed her excitement about getting picked in the 2025 WPL auction her journey hasn’t been without any challenges.
During the inaugural edition of the WPL, Dottin was picked by Gujarat Giants for 60 Lakhs. However, she was excluded from the Gujarat Giants squad stating ‘fitness concerns’ which Dottin later clarified.
“I experienced minor abdominal pain and swelling for which I sought treatment in December 2022, followed by specialist consultations in December and January 2023. I was transparent about this with the Gujarat Giants physiotherapist, but this was misconstrued and conveyed as me experiencing abdominal pain post-session, which was not accurate.”
Dottin stated that her medical updates were misunderstood by the franchise and further explained their miscommunication led to her getting omitted from the Gujarat Giants squad.
Ahead of the third season of WPL, things have taken a different turn for Dottin as she rejoins the Giants squad. After a controversial exclusion during the first edition of the tournament, Dottin is all set to make a return.
The explosive batter had recently made a stunning comeback to international cricket for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup after reversing her retirement and putting up an all-round performance in the tournament, racking up 120 runs, at a strike rate of 162.16, from 5 outings, and also producing a 4-fer in a must win.
Dottin’s signing came after an aggressive bidding war between Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz with Giants ultimately securing her services for 1.7 Crores, to the Giants, the second most expensive player in the 2025 auction.
The hard-hitting all-rounder expressed her excitement about being selected in the WPL, sharing, “To be honest, I was actually nervous when the draft was going on. But I mean it’s really good to be selected in the auction, especially the WPL auction. It’s always good to play all around the world, but I am really excited, to be honest, and can’t wait to be there next year.”
The new-look Giants roster also revamped their coaching set-up with Indian leg spinner Pravin Tambe and Australian Daniel Marsh joining as batting and bowling coaches in their respective departments as they aim for a strong finish in WPL 2025.
Dottin’s inclusion adds firepower to the Giants’ squad, and she has vast experience in international cricket – aggregating 2869 runs and 68 wickets from 133 T20Is – and franchise leagues, including the Women’s Big Bash League, where she most racked up 148 runs at a strike rate of 151.02 and produced 10 wickets from 11 outings in the recently concluded 10th edition.
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