WPL 2025: RCB head coach Luke Williams reveals auction strategy

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women (RCB-W) had appointed former South Australian cricketer Luke Williams as their head coach ahead of the 2024 edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL). The move worked more than wonders, as the franchise, that had finished fourth in the inaugural edition, went on to lift the elusive silverware, led by captain Smriti Mandhana.

Williams deserves equal credits for RCB-W's success, as their performance had been shambolic to say the least in the 2023 season. Skipper Smriti (300 runs) and star all-rounder Ellyse Perry (347 runs & 7 wickets) were the standout performers. Perry also won the Orange Cap, while spin-bowling all-rounder Shreyanka Patil got the hold of the Purple Cap for her 13 wickets across the season.

Williams, satisfied with the results gained in the previous edition, wanted to keep the core intact, which would in turn, help them maintain consistency ahead of the WPL Auction 2025. The head coach revealed that the mini-auction, which is slated to be held on Sunday, December 15, would help the management to ensure key additions to their squad and bolster their bench strength for the forthcoming season.

“We have looked to retain a solid core of the squad that was successful in last year's tournament to maintain that consistency within the team on and off the field. However, the mini-auction does provide a great opportunity for us to keep evolving and add additional players to our line-up that we think could impact the WPL and improve our squad," Williams was quoted as saying.

Also Check: Danni Wyatt-Hodge transferred to RCB from UP Warriorz for WPL 2025

RCB-W List of Retained Players ahead of WPL 2025

Smriti Mandhana (captain), Ellyse Perry, Danni Wyatt-Hodge (Traded), Sophie Devine, Shreyanka Patil, Renuka Singh Thakur, Richa Ghosh, Kanika Ahuja, Asha Sobhana, Ekta Bisht, Sabbineni Meghana, Georgia Wareharm, Kate Cross, Sophie Molineux

Also Check: WPL Auction 2025: WPL Auction 2025 Player List, Prices, Team Purse and Updates

Speaking of the mini-auction, the event is set to be hosted on Sunday, in RCB's home city, Bengaluru. A total of 19 slots are vacant with as many as 120 names likely to go under the hammer for a chance to feature in the 2025 edition of the cash-rich league. Notably, RCB-W have four slots left to be filled, but have consumed the spots for all the overseas players already.