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WPL 2025: Can Gujarat Giants Muster Strength To Rise From The Bottom?
Follow UsThe team has been on the bottom of the points table in both the seasons so far, however, things are looking better this season
Every T20 franchise league has a side where nothing seems to be working smoothly or logically. Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League, Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League and so many others can fall in this category.
When it comes to the Women’s Premier League (WPL), that (dis)honour is reserved for the Gujarat Giants who have tasted the wooden spoon in both seasons so far. They have lost 12 out of the 16 games they have played in the competition and things had to change for them massively at all levels of their organisation as improvement was imminent.
Thats why they offloaded most of their earlier acquisitions going into the WPL 2025 auction and went with a lot of empty slots to fill in the auction.
Read more: How well did the Gujarat Giants fared in the mini auction
To begin with, The Giants needed some solid overseas fast-bowling options prior to the auction, and they bought allrounder Deandra Dottin once again after letting her go just a few days before the first season of the WPL. Meanwhile, Simran Shaikh’s batting certainly impressed the Giants, as the Mumbai batter was the costliest player sold in the auction.
Last season, they also had a reluctant skipper in Beth Mooney, and coach Michael Klinger and his management seems to have rectified that by making Ashleigh Gardner the skipper. Gardner doesn’t dons the skipper’s hat on a regular basis even in Australia so it will be interesting to see how she handles this motley group of women which also includes India U19 cricketer like Shabnam Shakil.
Gujarat Giants Probable 11
Beth Mooney (wk), Laura Wolvaardt, Harleen Deol, Dayalan Hemalatha, Ashleigh Gardner (capt), Deandra Dottin, Simran Shaikh, Kashvee Gautam, Sayali Satghare, Tanuja Kanwer, Priya Mishra
What can win Gujarat Giants the WPL trophy
Batting brilliance
With batters of the calibre of Mooney, Wolvaardt, Gardner and Dottin a surety in their first 11, the Giants have a solid batting framework right from the start.
While Mooney and Wolvaardt are not Shafali Verma's kind of openers, they are extremely prolific run scorers in the shortest format and play both spin and pace really well.
With them at the top, Harleen and Hemalatha can come and play their game, as they would also have the cushion of Gardner and Dottin to bat in the latter half of the innings for GG. The finishing power of the team is strengthened further by the inclusion of Simran Shaikh, who’s known for her big hitting.
Their batting is so strong that they would probably have to bench a generational talent like Phoebe Litchfield. The Giants also have Bharti Fulmali, another Indian batter who can seriously tonk the ball. She is a good replacement option as she can bat throughout the middle order.
What can lose Gujarat Giants the trophy
Their bowling inexperience
The Giants are majorly reliant on their Indian picks when it comes to bowling. While Gardner and Dottin will definitely chip in with their crucial eight overs, the remaining 12 would be bowled by an inexperienced Indian bowling lineup with not much international exposure.
While Sayali Satghare has played for India and is known for her economical spells in this format, she would need to up her game both mentally and on the field to bowl the new ball for her side. Priya Mishra’s leg spin and Tanuja Kanwer’s left-arm spin will be crucial yet again to keep the runs in flow.
Their biggest challenge would be to bounce back once the big-hitting batters on the other side start smashing them everywhere. That’s where it can be a make-or-break season for the likes of Satghare and Mishra.
Who can be Gujarat Giants’ tactical MVP
The world boss
Who else but Dottin?
She is a batter who is amongst the strongest six hitters in the women’s game, and she is a pacer who can bowl in all phases of the game and has all major variations, including a lethal slower ball and yorker.
If Dottin has a good season for the Giants, safe to say it would be the first time that they won’t finish last. She is two players in one, and both of these players are good enough to make any international side in the world.
Things to watch out for
> Hemalatha’s batting is under the scanner, and a good season here with the bat can bring her into national team consideration.
> Simran Shaikh was bought for INR 1.9 crore in the auction, and this is the chance for the batter from Dharavi to prove that she deserves that price and is one of the best hitters in the league.
> A good performance in WPL 2025 with the ball will surely strengthen Satghare’s position in the Indian setup.
Full schedule of Gujarat Giants
14 February: GG vs RCB, Vadodara
16 February: GG vs UPW, Vadodara
18 February: GG vs MI, Vadodara
25 February: GG vs DC, Bengaluru
27 February: GG vs RCB, Bengaluru
3 March: GG vs UPW, Lucknow
7 March: GG vs DC, Lucknow
10 March: GG vs MI, Mumbai