Collage of Renuka Singh Thakur and Deepti Sharma.
Credit: PTI Photos
When the hammer drops in New Delhi on November 27, the Women’s Premier League is set for its first-ever mega auction and it promises to be an exciting affair in the best possible way. With 277 players in the pool, including 194 Indians, franchises have a total of 73 slots to fill.
And to top it all, India’s historic ODI World Cup win has pushed the stock of several homegrown stars through the roof. Here are five Indian cricketers who could headline the bidding frenzy:
Deepti Sharma
Fresh off being named Player of the Tournament at the World Cup, Deepti Sharma walks into the auction as arguably the biggest Indian name on the list. An off-spinner who can bat anywhere in the order, Deepti also brings proven leadership skills after captaining UP Warriorz last season. With over 500 WPL runs and 27 wickets from 25 matches, she is the definition of reliability. Given her World Cup heroics, expect franchises to open their purses right from the first hour.
Sneh Rana:
Sneh Rana has been part of two different WPL setups so far - Gujarat Giants and RCB . While her numbers (12 wickets, 74 runs in 17 games) may not jump off the page, she remains a handy utility player. A fresh environment could be exactly what she needs to unlock her best.
Pratika Rawal
She hasn’t played a single WPL game yet, but Pratika Rawal is already on every scout’s radar. After a standout Women’s ODI World Cup campaign, Rawal arrives at the auction as one of the most intriguing young batters in the pool. Teams looking to invest in long-term Indian talent, especially, will almost certainly circle her name early.
Renuka Singh Thakur:
Renuka may not have lit up the WPL yet, but her skillset ensures she’ll always be in the conversation. The pacer took 13 wickets in 23 matches for RCB across three seasons, though her economy (8.3) was a concern. In the right system, and with more clarity on her role, Renuka could easily prove to be one of this auction’s smartest buys.
Kiran Navgire
Kiran Navgire has been smashing bowling attacks across domestic tournaments, and her numbers are borderline ridiculous: a strike rate of 235.35 in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy and 177.53 in the Inter-Zonal T20 - both the highest in their competitions. Still uncapped, the Maharashtra batter brings raw power. For teams hunting middle-order acceleration, she’ll be high on the shopping list.