RCB Should Retain Ellyse Perry, Smriti Mandhana, and Richa Ghosh Ahead of WPL 2026, Says Mithali Raj

With the TATA Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 mega auction creating a buzz, Mithali Raj, the former captain of India, thinks that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) should keep Ellyse Perry, Smriti Mandhana, and Richa Ghosh as the central players of the team for next season.

During the TATA WPL 'Retention Preview' on JioHotstar, cricket experts Mithali Raj, Veda Krishnamurthy, and Saba Karim talked about the important retention choices that each team has to make and the long-term plans that they have to come up with for the next season.

Mithali Raj highlighted RCB’s balance of overseas and Indian talent, saying, “RCB should definitely retain Ellyse Perry — she’s been a match-winner with both bat and ball. Georgia Wareham also adds great value with her leg-spin and middle-order hitting. Among Indian players, Smriti Mandhana is an automatic choice, and Richa Ghosh is another must-keep as a wicketkeeper-batter.”

She further suggested Sneh Rana or Kanika Ahuja as potential third Indian retentions, praising their all-round abilities. Mithali also mentioned VJ Joshita as a promising uncapped talent who impressed in her limited opportunities.

Mumbai Indians’ Retention Outlook

On Mumbai Indians (MI), Mithali noted that the franchise faces tough choices among overseas all-rounders Nat Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr, and Hayley Matthews. Among Indian players, captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Amanjot Kaur are expected to stay, while Mithali praised Gunalan Kamalini, an uncapped player who showed excellent power-hitting ability this season.

Saba Karim, also speaking on the show, said MI should “maximise their retention slots,” keeping Harmanpreet Kaur, Yastika Bhatia, and overseas all-rounders Nat Sciver-Brunt and Chloe Tryon. He also recommended continuing to invest in Gunalan Kamalini as a future prospect.

Delhi Capitals’ Long-Term Strategy

Veda Krishnamurthy analysed Delhi Capitals’ long-term captaincy plans, suggesting that while Meg Lanning remains vital, the team should begin grooming a future Indian leader. “Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues are obvious retentions, while Annabel Sutherland is a strong overseas pick for the future,” Veda said. She also highlighted Niki Prasad as a standout uncapped player for Delhi.

UP Warriorz and Gujarat Giants’ Plans

For UP Warriorz, Mithali recommended retaining Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Voll, and Georgia Wareham among overseas players, alongside Deepti Sharma, Kranti Goud, and Kiran Navgire from the Indian contingent.

Discussing Gujarat Giants, Mithali stated that Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney are definite overseas retentions, while Bharati Fulmali and Kashvee Gautam should form the Indian core. She also mentioned Shabnam Shakil as an interesting uncapped option.

With the TATA WPL 2026 shaping up to be a blockbuster season, all franchises are carefully weighing their options to build strong, balanced squads ahead of the mega auction.