After years of searching for balance, rhythm, and identity, Royal Challengers Bengaluru find themselves in perhaps the strongest strategic position they’ve ever held in the Women Premier League.
Their choices ahead of the WPL 2026 mega auction were noticeably deliberate: instead of retaining the maximum five players, RCB stopped at four, preserving not only cap flexibility but also securing the crucial Right-to-Match (RTM) card. It was a move rooted in foresight rather than sentiment.
In contrast to franchises who prioritized holding on to as many names as possible, RCB prioritized control. They retained:
- Smriti Mandhana — Captain, opener, the team’s tempo-setter.
- Ellyse Perry — The heartbeat all-rounder, world-class in every phase.
- Richa Ghosh — India’s most explosive young finisher and first-choice wicketkeeper.
- Shreyanka Patil — The rising spin star around whom the Indian bowling unit can be built.
These four are non-negotiables high-impact, role-defining, structurally irreplaceable.
By stopping here, RCB ensured two outcomes:
- They retained ₹6.15 crore a sizeable purse in a competitive market.
- They gained 1 RTM card the most valuable leverage mechanism in an auction where domestic pace talent is scarce.
This was not a small detail. It shaped everything that follows. A Core That Makes Sense, On the Field and in Construction
Smriti Mandhana: The Identity Carrier
There is no RCB without Smriti. Her presence is both emotional and functional. Beyond captaincy, beyond fan recognition, she is crucial to powerplay batting identity. When Mandhana scores quickly, RCB dictate contests. Her 2024–25 consistency in both domestic and international cricket stabilizes the top order.
Retaining her at the highest slab (₹3.5 crore deduction) is not cost it is investment in continuity.
Ellyse Perry: The Multi-Phase Backbone
Some teams retain overseas stars because they are popular; RCB retained Perry because she is essential.
- Runs in the middle order
- Ability to absorb pressure
- New-ball and death overs bowling reliability
- Leadership experience
Perry’s utility solves three squad-building problems by herself. No other overseas player in the auction provides that combination at this level.
Richa Ghosh: The Scarce Domestic Finisher
India does not produce many hitters like Richa Ghosh. That alone makes her irreplaceable.
Her record in death overs both domestically and internationally places her in a bracket of finishers who influence match outcomes rather than decorate scorecards. Add wicketkeeping to that a role RCB no longer needs to pay overseas slots for and her value becomes foundational.
Shreyanka Patil: A Spin Attack Built in Bengaluru
Domestic wrist spinners and powerplay-offspinners with control are the rarest currency in Indian women’s cricket. By retaining Shreyanka, RCB secured not just a bowler, but a role clarity pillar. Her upside curve has not yet reached its ceiling, and her temperament suggests she will remain central to RCB’s bowling identity for years.
The Strategic Release: Letting Go to Gain Leverage
The retention of four also meant letting go deliberately.
The most notable release:
- Renuka Singh Thakur — India’s leading new-ball swing bowler.
Releasing her was not dismissal it was calculation.
By releasing Renuka instead of retaining a fifth player (which would forfeit RTM), RCB ensured they could:
- Battle in open bidding for Renuka
- And match the highest bid via RTM
This guarantees:
- Renuka returns, no matter who bids
- But RCB only pays her current real market value
- Without being tied to fixed retention slabs
In short:
RCB didn’t “lose” Renuka they strategically positioned to pay for her in the right way.
What They Need in the Auction
With ₹6.25 crore remaining and one RTM card likely earmarked for Renuka, RCB must build efficiently around their core.
1. Confirm Renuka Singh via RTM
This is the franchise’s top priority. She is:
- A powerplay strike bowler
- India’s best swing exponent
- A bowling-unit tone-setter
Without Renuka, RCB’s attack becomes dependent on overseas pace and that creates constraints elsewhere.
2. The Second Overseas Weapon
With Perry retained, the second overseas slot must solve one of two problems:
| Option | Role Need | Possible Profile |
| A | Powerplay Accumulator / Anchor | A top-order batter who balances Mandhana’s aggression |
| B | Specialist Strike Bowler | A pace bowler who attacks with pace or bounce |
This is where RCB must be bold.
If they secure Renuka, they can use overseas slots for batting power or spin flexibility.
3. Domestic Middle-Order Support Batter
RCB’s core batting is strong at the top and back end. But the No. 4–6 Indian slot needs a grounding player who can rotate, stabilize, and shift phases.
This is where the auction will test scouting intelligence more than purse size.
4. Indian Fast-Bowling Depth
Even with Renuka back, RCB must invest in two uncapped fast bowlers with development runway.
This is where Anya Shrubsole’s appointment as bowling coach becomes pivotal — she is not there to maintain; she is there to build.
Why RCB Enter the Auction from a Strong Position
RCB’s strength is not just their retained core it is the clarity of their needs. Some teams enter auctions trying to correct internal contradictions. RCB enters knowing exactly what they are solving for.
What remains are sharp, defined additions, not full rebuild.
RCB are not chasing star names for narrative.
They are building for:
- Role clarity
- Phase control
- Repeatable match-winning patterns
For the first time in the WPL era, RCB’s squad construction looks intentional instead of aspirational.
The difference between an RCB team that competes in knockouts and one that finally goes all the way will come down to how well they execute the first hour of the auction and how efficiently they deploy their RTM card.
This is not RCB hoping to win.
This is RCB building to win.
