We are just 3 days away from the fireworks to ignite at the Kotambi Stadium where defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will take on Gujarat Giants on coming Friday. As the excitement is ballooning up, let’s take a look at the overseas players for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru – who’ll hold a pivotal key to help the team defend their title in 2025.
Ellyse Perry –
As many of the foreign superstars started arriving at the respective franchises’ camp, there were clouds of doubt hovering over the participation of legend Ellyse Perry who had sustained a hip injury during the pink ball Test match against England. But to everyone’s respite, and particularly Bangalore fans, Perry arrived at the RCB camp ahead of the first encounter.
The Australian giant holds a key component of the RCB’s batting and bowling line-up and emerged as the leading run scorer of the tournament with 347 runs across nine innings. She maintained a healthy average of 69.40 while striking at 125.72 in the last edition. The best bowling figures of the WPL have been delivered by Ellyse Perry in the 2024 season. She recorded a sensational spell of 4-0-15-6 against the Mumbai Indians, making it a one-sided affair for the Challengers. Locking horns with Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator, the 34-year-old smashed a 50-ball 66 to take her team to a competitive total.
Kim Garth –
The addition of Australian all-rounder Kim Garth has bolstered the pace attack ahead of the third edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Garth showcased an outstanding performance with the ball in the recently concluded Women’s Ashes 2025, taking nine wickets over seven innings. As a bowling all-rounder, she also provides valuable runs in the lower order. In 2023, she joined the Gujarat Giants as a replacement for Deandra Dottin. Notably, she delivered a remarkable spell against UP Warriorz, achieving a five-wicket haul with figures of 4-0-36-5.
Heather Graham –
Another Aussie all-rounder, Heather Graham has joined the team as a replacement for White Ferns all-rounder Sophie Devine. Graham was a part of eventual winners Mumbai Indians in the maiden season but warmed the bench over the course of the tournament. She was a part of the Tasmania squad in the Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) season. Across eight innings, she has accumulated 217 runs with a strike rate of 88.93 and an average of 27.12. Her most impressive batting display came against South Australia, where she smashed a rapid 80 off 66 deliveries.
Charlie Dean –
RCB signed their first injury replacement of the season in the form of Dean coming in for Sophie Molineux. With over 100 WBBL appearances and a treasure of domestic and international experience, Molineux’s absence is a major setback for RCB. However, Dean’s addition to the squad has provided much-needed breather for the defending champions. The 24-year-old has an outstanding record, scalping 122 wickets in 78 international matches. In T20Is, she has been particularly effective and efficient, striking 46 wickets in 36 matches at an impressive economy of 6.91, while also adding value as a dependable lower-order batter.
Danielle Wyatt-Hodge –
An English player, Danni Wyatt-Hodge was signed by UP Warriorz but did not participate in any matches during the tournament. Following the 2024 WPL, she was traded to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for the 2025 season. Despite not featuring in the 2024 WPL, Wyatt-Hodge showcased impressive form in international colors. She was England’s leading run-getter in the T20 World Cup, accumulating 151 runs at a splendid average of 50.33.
Georgia Wareham –
During WPL 2024, Wareham drew seven scalps at an economy of 8.23 per over in 10 innings. Her stocks have risen as a batter alongside her lethal capabilities with the ball in hand, though she has been a bit expensive in initial overs. In the absence of Sophie Molineux lower down the order, Georgia Wareham will have high responsibility to take the bowlers to the cleaners in death overs.
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