Royal Challengers Bangalore WPL 2024 team analysis: Squad depth, players to watch out, fixtures

Packed with some of the biggest names in the game, RCB Women are one of the most potent sides on paper. The outfit will hope its performances match up as it seeks better fortunes in the second edition of the Women’s Premier League.

Smriti Mandhana’s form will be a focus area for RCB as the side looks for a better outing in the Women’s Premier League. | Photo Credit: Instagram/RCB

Following a lacklustre performance in the inaugural season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) where it finished second from the bottom with two wins in eight matches, Royal Challengers Bangalore is eyeing a reversal of fortunes.

The outfit has shown has shown faith in its core by retaining 11 out of 18 players. Last season, hopes were pinned on its high profile capped players, right from India regulars like Smriti Mandhana, Renuka Thakur and seasoned international stars like Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine and Heather Knight. However, the pros either failed to fire or failed to fire consistently.

After letting go of the experienced pacer Megan Schutt, RCB went for Kate Cross at the base price of 30 lakh. Cross is tasked with strengthening RCB’s fast bowling alongside Renuka and all-rounders Devine and Perry. The trans-tasman neighbours will also be key with the bat, with both known for their big hitting abilities and knack to soak pressure in crunch situations.

SWOT

Strengths: Experienced players (especially overseas options), varied bowling attack, batters with good strike rates

Weaknesses: Overdependence on foreign players, dependent on form of certain key players

Opportunity: Indian recruits like Shubha Satheesh and veteran Ekta Bisht can prove their mettle against the best in the world

Threat: Smriti Mandhana. If she finds form early on, she can give RCB a boost up top with the bat which will take the pressure off the middle order

While RCB will miss the services of Heather Knight, South Africa’s Nadine de Klerk and Australians Georgia Wareham and Sophie Molineux could prove to be handy in both departments.

The RCB batting pool has an exciting mix of Indians too. Keeper-batter Richa is a feisty presence in the lower middle order, with the ability to finish games with elan. Shubha Satheesh, who recently made her India Test debut, is another assured presence in the top order with a range of textbook cricketing shots in her arsenal.

However, all eyes will be on skipper Smriti’s form after struggles to juggle captaincy and her batting last season. Giving her company. Another player to watch out for is 38-year-old Ekta Bisht. With 29 wickets from the recently concluded Senior Women’s T20 and One-Day trophies in the domestic circuit, the left-arm spinner is an experienced campaigner with much to offer.

Under new coach Luke Williams, who took over Ben Sawyer, RCB will hope to vindicate the franchise’s reputation of flamboyance, especially since the side will play before its home crowd at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Sophie Devine

International player to watch out for:

Sophie Devine was the silver lining in RCB’s meagre campaign in WPL 2023. Her 266 runs came at an extraordinary strike rate of 172.22. A clean striker of the ball, Devine chips in with her effective bowling as well.  

RCB has a good bunch of local talent who are itching to make an impression in the WPL, Shubha Satheesh being one of them.

Indian player to watch out for:

Off spinner Shreyanka Patil was a standout performer for RCB showing confidence in high-pressure situations and adaptability with the ball when going up against the best batters in the world. While she didn’t get as much time in the middle as would have been ideal with the bat, Shreyanka’s switch hits and good striking rate will be handy for the side in a batter-friendly venue like the Chinnaswamy Stadium. She had a good year with the national side too and will hope to make a case for her inclusion in the Indian team for the Women’s T20 World Cup later this year with a good WPL outing.

SQUAD

Smriti Mandhana (C), Asha Shobana, Disha Kasat, Ellyse Perry, Nadine de Klerk, Indrani Roy, Shradda Pokharkar, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Sophie Devine, Georgia Wareham, Kate Cross, Ekta Bisht, Shubha Satheesh, S Meghana, Simran Bahadur, Sophie Molineux.

FIXTURES

February 24: vs UP Warriorz (Bengaluru)

February 27: Gujarat Giants (Bengaluru)

February 29: vs Delhi Capitals (Bengaluru)

March 2: vs Mumbai Indians (Bengaluru)

March 4: vs UP Warriorz (Bengaluru)

March 6: vs Gujarat Giants (Delhi)

March 10: vs Delhi Capitals (Delhi)

March 12: vs Mumbai Indians (Delhi)