WPL Auction 2025: Auctions with a 'mini' feel to it

Bengaluru: Having recovered from the hangover of decimal points and conversion rates which normally accompany an Indian Premier League auction, another auction is upon is. But this one isn't going to raise eyebrows or force out calculators. 

This season's Women's Premier League auction is about as 'mini' as they come because only 19 slots are left to be filled across five teams when the event kicks off here at 3 pm on Sunday. 

Given that only 120 names are going to go under the hammer, the event itself might not go on for more than three hours, but then again, that's not entirely a bad thing because these auctions are getting tedious.

Also, limited slots shows that teams are fairly sorted with the vision they have for their respective units.

Save for UP Warriorz, who only have three positions to fill, the other sides have four each, including defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru. 

Staying with RCB, Smriti Mandhana's crew is one of the most effective-seeming units on paper with the likes of Ellyse Perry and Sophie Devine in their midst. Naturally, the Bengaluru-outfit didn't find the need to tweak the squad much, but they will want to dig in to their Rs 3.5 crore purse and pick up good young talent to help evolve through high-pressure situations. 

The mantra is much the same with Delhi Capitals and the Mumbai Indians because they too went hard at the auctions the year prior, and came away the core. 

Gujarat Giants (Purse: Rs 4.4 crore) and UP Warriorz (Purse: Rs 3.9 crore), though, will be pulling up their paddles with more regularity because they haven't yet been able to establish their identity. 

In this pursuit, the likes of foreign nationals Darcie Brown, Deandra Dottin, Nadine de Klerk, Orla Prendergast and Laura Harris could become beneficiaries. As for the Indian contingent, a string of wholesome talent is up for grabs, but at the helm are the likes of Nandini Kashyap, Niki Prasad and Sneh Rana.

The Giants, who finished at the bottom of the table last year, don't have a choice but to be quick on the trigger because they let go of six players and now have four slots to fill, including two overseas picks. 

But given how organised the teams have become, from hiring the right scouts to putting up camps in advance, there is now reason to believe that these WPL teams are not being picked on the whims and fancies of franchises. 

Though only 19 slots need filling, the paddle-wafters are going to be prudent with their picks. Luckily, it won't go on for so long that it becomes an intellectual exercise. 

Available purses Delhi Capitals (Rs. 2.5 crore)

Gujarat Giants (Rs 4.4 crore)

Mumbai Indians (Rs 2.65 crore)

UP Warriorz (Rs 3.9 crore)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Rs 3.25 crore)

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BENGALURU: Slots remaining: 4 (0 overseas) Retained: Smriti Mandhana Sophie Devine Ellyse Perry Renuka Singh Richa Ghosh Shreyanka Patil Kanika Ahuja Asha Sobhana Georgia Wareham Kate Cross Ekta Bisht S Meghana Sophie Molineux. 

Released: Disha Kasat Indrani Roy Nadine de Klerk Shubha Satheesh Shraddha Pokarkar Simran Bahadur. Traded in: Danni Wyatt (from UP Warriorz)̣.