WPL 2024 Auction: 3 Players Who Royal Challengers Bangalore May Look To Buy At The Auction

Royal Challengers Bangalore will look to add more fire power at the WPL 2024 Auction on Saturday (December 9) as the franchise aim for a better finish in the second season of the Women's Premier League.

RCB led by Smriti Mandhana finished fourth and eventually failed to qualify for the playoffs in the inaugural edition of the WPL. The Bangalore-based side had opened their campaign with five successive losses, but secured two wins before losing their final round-robin match.

RCB WPL 2024 Auction Startegy and Possible Targets

After the disastrous season, RCB released seven players, including three overseas stars and uncapped Indian players. Megan Schutt, Erin Burns and Dane van Niekerk were the overseas players released by RCB.

RCB WPL Released Players List 2024

Dane Van Niekerk (South Africa)
Erin Burns (Australia)
Komal Zanzad
Megan Schutt (Australia)
Poonam Khemnar
Preeti Bose
Sahana Pawar

RCB retained the core of their side in the form of Mandhana, Heather Knight, Sophie Devine, Richa Ghosh, Meghana Singh and Ellyse Perry. RCB also retained recent India debutants Kanika Ahuja and Shreyanka Patil as well as Disha Kasat, Asha Shobana and Indrani Roy.

RCB WPL Retained Players List 2024

Asha Shobana
Disha Kasat
Ellyse Perry (Australia)
Heather Knight (England)
Indrani Roy
Kanika Ahuja
Renuka Singh
Richa Ghosh
Shreyanka Patil
Smriti Mandhana
Sophie Devine (New Zealand)

Going by the above released and retained list, RCB will head into the auction with a remaining purse of Rs 3.35 Crore to fill seven slots, including three overseas slots at the upcoming auction.

From the released players list, only Australia seamer Megan Schutt was an immediate pick in the playing 11, while the rest were used as rotational players. So, RCB will definitely look at adding an overseas pace bowling option to partner Meghana and Perry.

The other options they could look at his backup players in the Indian pace bowling options and also a good finisher or an Indian batter that can bat anywhere in the batting order. Here is a look at 3 players RCB may bid for at the WPL Auction 2024:

Who Will RCB Buy In WPL 2024 Auction?

Veda Krishnamurthy: The Indian batter can be picked by her home team after missing out last season. RCB struggled to find an Indian middle order batter in the last edition. That's where a player like Veda can come in as she is capable of slotting in at number 3 to 7.

The 31-year-old, who was on commentary during the inaugural edition, has scored 875 runs, including 2 fifties in 63 T20I innings. She has been shortlisted at a base price of Rs 30 Lakhs. So, she could be a sensible pick for RCB.

Monica Patel: Another Karnataka youngster, who has already earned two ODI appearances, could be the Indian pace bowling back up for RCB, who only have Meghana Singh in the role.

The 24-year-old represented Gujarat Giants last season, when she claimed only 1 wicket in 2 matches. She comes into the auction at the base price of Rs 30 Lakhs and can be a useful addition especially due to the left-arm bowling option.

Lauren Cheatle: A left-arm bowling option and could be a good fit to play alongside the likes of Perry and Devine. Cheatle has been a star in the Women's Big Bash League, where she has claimed 81 wickets in 78 matches at an economy rate of 6.57.

The 25-year-old could be the perfect replacement for Schutt, who has not entered the auction this season. At Rs 30 Lakh base price and possibily being drawn late in the bidding process, Cheatle could be an ideal pick for RCB.

RCB may also look at Sophie Day, Devika Vaidya and Amanda-Jade Wellington as well as some uncapped Indian players during the auction as they need to fill seven slots at the auction.