WPL Auction 2026: Smriti Mandhana retained as RCB captain

Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil and Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry were also among RCB's four retentions.

Sidney Kiran: Newly crowned ODI world champions Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh were on Thursday retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of the 2026 Women’s Premier League (WPL) auction.

Off-spinner Shreyanka Patil and Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry were also among RCB's four retentions.

Mandhana, who led RCB to title triumph in 2024 and was the second-highest scorer in the just-concluded Women’s World Cup with 434 runs at a brilliant average of 54.25, was retained at the highest slab of Rs 3.5 crore. The 29-year-old will continue to lead the franchise.

Wicketkeeper Ghosh, a marauding batter in the middle and lower order, was the second retention by the franchise at Rs 2.75 crore. The 35-year-old Perry, one of the most outstanding players of this generation, and the talented Shreyanka were retained for Rs 2 cr and Rs 60 lakh respectively.

Royal Challengers have thus spent Rs 8.85 cr on retentions and will now have Rs 6.15 crore at the auctions to form the rest of the team, the date and venue for which are yet to be announced.

Notable omissions were star India pacer Renuka Singh and Australian spinning all-rounder Sophie Molineux, but one of them could be drafted in with the sole Right To Match (RTM) card RCB holds.

Malolan elevated

RCB also appointed Malolan Rangarajan as the head coach of the women’s team. Rangarajan takes over from Luke Williams after serving as assistant coach during RCB’s past two seasons, including the team’s historic title-winning campaign in 2024.

Rangarajan said the retention of Mandhana, one of the superstars of Indian sports, was a no-brainer. “With Smriti, we get a left-handed opener, a very, very aggressive batter. That's something that resonates with how we want to play. And also, a very, very calm leader who we think is tactically very astute. And not to forget, she was the captain that brought RCB its first title,” he said in a statement released by the franchise.

Rangarajan also hailed Ghosh’s game-changing abilities, almost suggesting she could be Mandhana’s deputy. “Our second retention will be the exciting young wicketkeeper, Richa Ghosh. She is among, if not the best middle order batter, plus being a wicketkeeper gives us an all-round ability. Her association with risk and how she faces pressure situations is exactly what we want in our batting order. And somebody we view with leadership potential as well.”

On his elevation as head coach, Rangarajan, who represented Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand in domestic cricket, said he can’t wait to sync up with Mandhana. “Over the past three years, I’ve developed a great working relationship with Smriti, as well as the coaching and support staff, and I look forward to continuing that partnership to deliver the success that RCB fans deserve.”

List of retained players: Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana (Rs 3.5 cr), Richa Ghosh (Rs 2.75 cr), Ellyse Perry (Rs 2 cr), Shreyanka Patil (Rs 60 lakh).

Mumbai Indians: Nat-Sciver Brunt (Rs 3.5 cr), Harmanpreet Kaur (Rs 2.5 cr), Hayley Matthews (Rs 1.75 cr), Amanjot Kaur (Rs 1 cr), G Kamalini (Rs 50 lakh).

Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner (Rs 3.5 cr), Beth Mooney (Rs 2.5 cr).

UP Warriorz: Shweta Sehrawat (Rs 50 lakh).

Delhi Capitals: Jemimah Rodrigues (Rs 2.2 cr), Shafali Verma (Rs 2.2 cr), Annabel Sutherland (Rs 2.2 cr), Marizanne Kapp (Rs 2.2 cr), Niki Prasad (Rs 50 lakh).

Richa Ghosh has also been retained.

Highlights - List of retained players Mumbai Indians: Nat-Sciver Brunt (Rs 3.5 cr), Harmanpreet Kaur (Rs 2.5 cr), Hayley Matthews (Rs 1.75 cr), Amanjot Kaur (Rs 1 cr), G Kamalini (Rs 50 lakh). Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Smriti Mandhana (Rs 3.5 cr), Richa Ghosh (Rs 2.75 cr), Ellyse Perry (Rs 2 cr), Shreyanka Patil (Rs 60 lakh). Gujarat Giants: Ashleigh Gardner (Rs 3.5 cr), Beth Mooney (Rs 2.5 cr). UP Warriorz: Shweta Sehrawat (Rs 50 lakh). Delhi Capitals: Jemimah Rodrigues (Rs 2.2 cr), Shafali Verma (Rs 2.2 cr), Annabel Sutherland (Rs 2.2 cr), Marizanne Kapp (Rs 2.2 cr), Niki Prasad (Rs 50 lakh).