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WPL 2025: Injuries The Biggest Hurdle In RCB’s WPL Trophy Defence
Follow UsAs many as six players from the last season have already injured themselves out of the season or are recuperating from injuries
Title defenses in T20 leagues that happen every year are quite challenging. From the stuff on the field to factors outside of it — the entire universe has to conspire so that everything just fits like entwined human fingers for the silverware magic to happen.
Safe to say, at the moment, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) would begin the 2025 edition of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) like dejected 16-year-olds in their bedroom who have just read The Fault In Our Stars by John Green and keeps repeating that the world is not a wish-granting factory to every human ear that pays attention to their words.
And frankly, you won’t blame them after looking at the fitness status of their squad.
RCB’s biggest challenge in WPL 2025
Sophie Devine, Sophie Molineux (Player of the Match in the 2024 final), Kate Cross, Asha Sobhana - Injured and out
Ellyse Perry, Shreyanka Patil - Injured but recovering
Keeping the ones already out aside, RCB would be extremely troubled by Perry’s hip injury, which could mean the legendary allrounder might not pick the ball in the season. Meanwhile, last year’s leading wicket-taker, Shreyanka Patil, hasn’t played cricket for the senior Indian women since October 2024.
Even Asha Sobhana, who was crucial in RCB’s campaign last year along with Molineux and Shreyanka is out of the season. In that situation, the side’s biggest face, their leader, must motivate the troops so that such hurdles don’t feel like roadblocks. However, it’s much easier said than done.
What can win RCB the WPL Trophy?
Smriti Mandhana
While Mandhana was her side’s leading run scorer with 259 runs in eight innings in WPL 2024, it turned out to be just the trailer for what was to come later in the year as Mandhana broke the record of the most runs scored in a calendar year in international cricket by any woman in history.
This was a Mandhana who wasn’t throwing away her starts despite not going into a shell - something she had struggled with throughout her career in the T20 format. Her ball striking on the leg side improved even further as the backfoot ballerina refined her pull shot towards midwicket and opened up new areas and lengths of scoring for herself.
This season, not only she’ll have to handle the top order with Devine not being there, she’ll also have to lead her side in a way where they don’t think about the hurdles but the finish line.
Who can be RCB’s MVP this year?
The Siliguri Superstar - Richa Ghosh
The only correct answer to this question is Ellyse Perry. However, injury concerns surround her, and it would be hard for her to bowl consistently in the season if they continue to trouble her.
In that situation, the role of Richa Ghosh, the batter, becomes much more crucial than in previous seasons because she would need to provide extra runs to her side and do that as quickly as possible.
Very few in the world of women’s cricket hit the ball as hard as the superstar from Siliguri. Despite her side being like a sky full of stars, her six-hitting ability stands her apart from the crowd, and she can do serious damage in the lower order, taking an expected 150 total to 180 in almost no time.
RCB Probable XI
Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Smriti Mandhana (capt), Raghvi Bisht, Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh (wk), Kanika Ahuja, Georgia Wareham, Shreyanka Patil, Kim Garth, Prema Rawat, Renuka Singh Thakur
Other players to watch out for
> Shreyanka and Perry's fitness would be under the scanner throughout the season. If the two, especially Perry, pull up well in the season, RCB will have much more squad strength.
> Joshitha VJ rocked in India’s victorious campaign at the U19 World Cup in Malaysia with her brilliant swing bowling. She moves the ball in both directions and can be a lethal new ball bowler. However, she might struggle to make it to the first eleven.
> Renuka is not the same bowler when she bowls in WPL. She only has three wickets in 16 games, and RCB would love to see that record improve.
RCB Full Schedule
All matches will start at 7:30 PM
February 14 - Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Vadodara
February 17 - Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Vadodara
February 21 - Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians, Bengaluru
February 24 - Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs UP Warriorz, Bengaluru
February 27 - Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Giants, Bengaluru
March 1 - Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals, Bengaluru
March 8 - UP Warriorz vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Lucknow
March 11 - Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mumbai
Note: After some changes in the squad, the article was updated at 7:10 PM, February 13.