Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is getting into a brand new period. After the excessive of their Ladies’s Premier League 2024 title and the frustration of 2025, the franchise underwent an enormous tactical overhaul through the November 2025 Mega Public sale.
RCB celebrity Ellyse Perry withdrawn from WPL 2026
Nonetheless, the most important shockwave hit the camp simply three days in the past: Ellyse Perry has formally withdrawn from WPL 2026 attributable to private causes. In her place, RCB have signed Mumbai’s home standout Sayali Satghare. This surprising shift has compelled the administration to pivot from ‘star-power reliance’ to a extra balanced, role-based ‘Indian core’ technique. With the season opener towards Mumbai Indians scheduled for January 9 on the DY Patil Stadium, the staff is scrambling to combine new worldwide signings like Lauren Bell and Grace Harris right into a unit that should now be taught to thrive with out its best legend.
RCB’s greatest taking part in XI for WPL 2026
1. Smriti Mandhana (Captain): The heartbeat of the franchise, Smriti enters 2026 after a prolific worldwide season the place she dominated the 2025 Ladies’s World Cup on dwelling soil. Her function because the aggressive anchor is extra crucial than ever in Perry’s absence; she stays the costliest Indian participant in league historical past and is at present averaging 38.45 in T20Is over the past 12 months with a strike charge of 138.
2. Georgia Voll (Abroad – AUS): Signed for INR 60 Lakh on the mega public sale, Voll is the explosive resolution to RCB’s opening woes. A rising star from the Large Bash, she not too long ago made headlines by changing into one of many youngest to attain a home T20 century. Her ‘see-ball, hit-ball’ strategy permits Mandhana the liberty to settle, offering RCB with a much-needed right-left dynamic on the high.
3. Dayalan Hemalatha: Secured for INR 30 Lakh, Hemalatha is the tactical bridge within the high order. After a resurgent 2025 worldwide season the place she showcased her potential to tackle spin within the center overs, she supplies the steadiness required at Quantity 3. Her expertise in high-pressure Indian situations makes her a dependable backup to the aggressive openers.
4. Grace Harris (Abroad – AUS): The ‘powerhouse’ of the center order, Harris was a steal at INR 75 Lakh. With a profession T20I strike charge of 155+, she is the designated ‘spin-killer.’ In a lineup lacking Perry’s stability, Harris’s potential to clear the boundary at will and her useful off-spin make her crucial abroad participant within the XI.
Additionally READ: BCCI pronounces full schedule for WPL 2026; Royal Challengers Bengaluru will battle Mumbai Indians within the opener
5. Richa Ghosh (Wicketkeeper): The premier finisher in world cricket, Richa’s inventory has by no means been greater. Coming off a blistering 40 (16)* within the 4th T20I towards Sri Lanka simply final week, she enters WPL 2026 in red-hot kind. Her energy hitting within the “dying overs” (overs 16-20) stays RCB’s greatest weapon to show 150-run totals into 180+.
6. Nadine de Klerk (Abroad – SA): Re-signed for INR 65 Lakh, de Klerk is now the frontline seam-bowling all-rounder following Perry’s exit. She proved her price within the 2025 World Cup semi-finals with a match-winning 2-wicket haul. She supplies the “glue” within the decrease center order, able to taking part in lengthy innings or offering 4 overs of disciplined medium-pace.
7. Pooja Vastrakar: RCB broke the financial institution to safe India’s premier tempo all-rounder. Vastrakar brings elite dying bowling and lower-order pyrotechnics. After a 2025 worldwide season the place she turned India’s main wicket-taker within the Powerplay, her dual-threat functionality gives RCB the stability they lacked in earlier years.
8. Shreyanka Patil: The ‘Purple Cap’ hero of 2024 is again to full health after a irritating 2025 sidelined by a shin damage. Her return is an enormous increase; she not too long ago proved her rhythm within the Ladies’s CPL 2025, and her potential to bowl the robust overs within the Powerplay and on the dying along with her off-spin is unmatched within the league.
9. Radha Yadav: A high-intensity left-arm spinner and world-class fielder, Radha was introduced in to bolster the spin division. Her worldwide expertise of 75+ T20Is and her potential to squeeze runs within the center overs (financial system of 6.40 in 2025) makes her the right associate for Shreyanka.
10. Arundhati Reddy: Reddy joins RCB for INR 75 Lakh after a career-best yr that noticed her reclaim her spot within the Indian nationwide aspect. Identified for her “never-give-up” perspective and a lethal yorker, she supplies the third seam possibility. Her latest worldwide kind contains 7 wickets within the T20 World Cup, the joint-most for India.
11. Lauren Bell (Abroad – ENG): RCB’s most costly public sale purchase at INR 90 Lakh, “The Shard” is the tempo spearhead. Standing 6’2″, the England worldwide generates bounce and swing that’s uncommon within the WPL. At present ranked within the ICC High 5 for T20I bowlers, her opening spells would be the key to breaking opposition high orders.
Tactical Breakdown
The Opening Pair: With Sophie Devine transferring to Gujarat Giants, RCB secured Georgia Voll, who holds the joint-highest rating in WPL historical past. She is going to associate Smriti Mandhana to offer a right-left explosive begin.The Energy Center-Order: Grace Harris is an enormous acquisition from the public sale. Her potential to dismantle spin and tempo makes her the first engine of this lineup. Richa Ghosh continues her function because the finisher who may also anchor if the highest order collapses.The Perry Substitute: Whereas Sayali Satghare has joined as a alternative, she might begin on the bench as RCB makes use of their 4 abroad slots for Harris, Voll, de Klerk, and Bell. Nadine de Klerk supplies the seam-bowling all-rounder stability that Perry as soon as supplied.Indian Bowling Core: RCB have one of many strongest Indian bowling models this yr. Pooja Vastrakar and Arundhati Reddy present international-quality tempo, whereas the spin duo of Shreyanka Patil and Radha Yadav might be deadly on the dry tracks in Navi Mumbai and Vadodara.Abroad Tempo: Lauren Bell will lead the assault along with her potential to swing the brand new ball, an important issue within the night matches in Navi Mumbai.
Affect Participant Choices
Sayali Satghare: If the pitch favors tempo, she will be able to are available for one of many spinners.Linsey Smith: A wonderful left-arm orthodox possibility if the staff decides to bench an abroad pacer for an additional spinner.
Additionally READ: Lauren Bell reacts after changing into the costliest purchase for RCB in WPL 2026 Public sale
This text was first revealed at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Instances firm.
