For the first time since the Women’s Premier League began, Gujarat Giants step into a season not defined by uncertainty, but by clarity.
Their decision ahead of the WPL 2026 Mega Auction was bold, unusual, and very deliberate: retain only two players Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney and release everyone else, including Indian core players who had helped the side reach the Eliminator in 2025, their best finish to date.
Where most franchises pursued continuity, Gujarat chose flexibility. This is not a rebuild born from failure. It is a rebuild born from opportunity.
The Two Retentions That Shape the Identity
Ashleigh Gardner: The Strategic Anchor
Gardner remains the beating heart of the franchise. She leads, she finishes, she bowls pressure overs, and she has been the on-field reference point for structure and temperament. Her retention is not simply about skill it is about retaining a framework.
Gardner’s strike rate, her ability to close innings, and her economy rate in T20s across conditions make her one of the most complete all-rounders in the world. She represents Gujarat’s competitive intent.
Beth Mooney : Control at the Top
Mooney brings stability to a format built on volatility. Her unbeaten 96(59)* in WPL 2025 was a reminder of what she does best carry innings, absorb pressure, and let others play around her. When Gujarat were at their most stable last season, it was because their batting was structured around Mooney at the top and Gardner in the middle.
Keeping them both ensures that Gujarat begin the season with a functional spine rather than starting from zero. What Gujarat Gained by Letting Everyone Else Go
By retaining only Gardner and Mooney, Gujarat:
| Outcome | Impact |
| Retention Cost | ₹6 crore (₹3.5 cr + ₹2.5 cr) |
| Auction Purse Remaining | ₹9 crore one of the largest in the league |
| Right-to-Match (RTM) Cards | 3 RTMs, the maximum available |
This is the big strategic advantage.
The Giants now have:
- Money to compete for elite talent
- Flexibility to rebuild the Indian core
- Protection to ensure their domestic stars do not walk away
In a league where domestic depth separates finalists from also-rans, RTM may well be the most valuable tool of the auction. Why Releasing Indian Core Players Was Intentional
The release list included all key Indian performers from 2025:
- Kashvee Gautam
- Harleen Deol
- Tanuja Kanwar
This move looks risky but the logic behind it is sharp. RTM cards can only be used on Indian players.
By releasing their best domestic performers, Gujarat created a bidding environment where other teams set the price, and Gujarat simply matches it instead of paying fixed retention slabs.
This is how Gujarat avoid:
- Overpaying for domestic players
- Locking themselves into long-term inefficiencies
- Losing future flexibility
In other words:
They released them to buy them back smarter. The First Targets of the Auction Are Already Known The Giants’ strategy is clear before bidding even begins.
RTM 1 → Kashvee Gautam
The most important domestic bowler Gujarat had in 2025.
- 11 wickets
- Economy of 6.45
- Composed under pressure, especially at death.
Uncapped Indian pacers who can control the run rate are extremely rare. She must return.
RTM 2 → Harleen Deol
A stabilizer in the top order, a spin utility option, and a player whose presence helps Mooney avoid overload. Gujarat cannot build a domestic batting structure without her.
RTM 3 → Tanuja Kanwar
Not a headline player, but a role player — and role players are the foundation of winning teams.
If Gujarat use all three RTMs here, they recover:
- Their captain
- Their opening structure
- Their strike bowler
- Their domestic batting core
- Their left-arm spin control
This is how continuity is rebuilt without paying retention inflation.
The Overseas Battlefield: The Auction’s Decisive Front
Where RTM secures domestic stability, the ₹9 crore purse gives Gujarat license to go after the biggest overseas batting names in the pool:
- Laura Wolvaardt
- Phoebe Litchfield
Both were released intentionally, not because Gujarat wanted to move on but because they want to buy one (or both) at the right market price rather than retention slabs.
Wolvaardt is perhaps the most in-demand batter in T20 cricket right now:
- CWC25 centuries in semifinal and final
- Innings-building technique + controlled acceleration
- A perfect partner for Mooney at the top
Litchfield is the high-upside future investment younger, dynamic, and proven under tournament pressure.
If Gujarat land both, they have:
- The best top 3 in the league
- The most stable batting order
- The ability to dictate match tempo from ball one
If they land one, they still hold an identity that gives them control over match flow.
What Still Needs Building
Even with Gardner, Mooney, RTM returns, and one marquee overseas bat, Gujarat must construct:
| Department | Need | Strategy |
| Middle-Order Indian Batting Depth | Moderate/High | Bid for one capped domestic batter who can rotate fluently |
| Indian Pace Support | High | Pair Gautam with two more pacers — ideally one experienced, one developmental |
| Spin Depth | Medium | Left-arm orthodox and leg-spin mix required to avoid overloading Gardner |
| Uncapped Talent Pool | Essential | Identify four to six U23 players who fit long-term roles |
The Giants are not building a team for one season.
They are building a multi-year core.
What Makes Gujarat’s Strategy Different From Others
- Mumbai kept stability but surrendered flexibility.
- Delhi kept a ceiling core but lost leadership and spin.
- RCB held a balance core with future upside but must auction-correct bowling.
Gujarat, instead:
- Protected their two most irreplaceable players
- Built the largest domestic reassembly plan in the league
- Preserved auction power and leverage
- Created space to shape identity rather than inherit it
They are not making incremental corrections. They are constructing a team deliberately.
The Outlook
Gujarat enters WPL 2026 with no confusion, no hesitation, and no ambiguity about what they must do. If they:
- Use RTMs effectively,
- Secure at least one of Wolvaardt or Litchfield, and
- Build depth instead of scattering budget,
They will not just return to the playoffs they will enter the season with one of the most complete and strategically assembled squads in the league.
This is not a reset. This is a statement.
Gujarat Giants are not starting over. They are starting correctly.
