As the countdown to WPL 2025 begins, the teams are intensifying their preparations to outdo each other on the field. Defending Champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), in particular, are eagerly focused on retaining their crown. After a challenging inaugural season in 2023, finishing at fourth, they staged a remarkable turnaround to claim the trophy in 2024.
It was under Smriti Mandhana’s leadership that RCB went on to win the title. One of the key players, she played a pivotal role in guiding the team to victory. With a total run tally of 300 in 10 matches, she was the fourth highest run-scorer of the season. Her best performance in WPL came against UP Warriorz where she delivered a sensational knock of 80 runs out of just 50 balls.
However, the 2023 season was a season to forget for Mandhana, where she scored only 149 runs, not managing to score a single 50. Smriti, India’s vice-captain will be keen to lead RCB by example in WPL 2025 and deliver a stand-out performance.
In a recent candid conversation as part of RCB’s Bold Diaries series, Smriti Mandhana opened up about her life and cricket in a ‘Yay or Nay’ segment revealing her responses to a range of questions. When asked if ‘T20 is her go to format’, she replied, “Nay, one of the toughest formats for me as a batter”. She further confessed that she enjoyed ODIs and Tests more citing the cushion of time as a vital factor.
Her response to the topic of ‘mankading’ was straightforward. Laughing it off, she said, ‘it’s within the rules’. She added that till the time it’s in the rules of the game, the cricketers will have to follow it. When it comes to ‘sledging’, Smriti believes it’s acceptable as long as it’s done in the right spirit. Describing her approach, she says, “I don’t do a lot, sometimes here and there, it’s a funny thing.”
The idea of introducing a new rule that allows one batter from a team to bat twice was met with enthusiasm by Mandhana. She hilariously accepted that no batter would say a no to this new rule. On the question of walking off after nicking a ball, Mandhana revealed, “Sometimes even if it’s an LBW, I feel it’s out and I start walking off”, adding that 90% of the time she would walk off if she nicked the ball.
Finally, when asked if one should listen to their coach all the time, Smriti’s response was diplomatic. With a smile she said, “Now that I am leading RCB, I would say yes, please listen to the coach!”
Beyond cricket, she also shared her opinion of various everyday topics. While she confessed preferring kachoris over samosas, she took a more nuanced stance on social media habits. She believed taking pictures of food, or gym workout can be justified if done for motivation but drew the line at doing it solely for show off. Smriti admitted to keeping her social media presence relatively low, saying, “I don’t put anything a lot on social media.”
RCB will face a tough challenge in WPL 2025 with key overseas players unavailable. Sophie Devine has opted out of the season, while Sophie Molineux has been ruled out due to a knee injury. Adding to the concerns, Ellyse Perry’s availability remains uncertain due to her fitness. These absences could significantly impact Smriti Mandhana led RCB’s squad balance as they prepare for the season opener against Gujarat Giants on 14th February at BCA Stadium in Vadodara.
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