3 key Indian players whose spot in the national side is in danger after WPL 2023

The inaugural edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL 2023), which was admittedly a big success, came to a thrilling conclusion last Sunday.

All five franchises allowed young talent to prosper during the tournament, which saw several high-profile Indian stars dish out rather underwhelming displays. The likes of Smriti Mandhana and Renuka Singh Thakur were nowhere near their best during WPL 2023, but their spot in the Indian team should be safe for now.

Others might not be as lucky, with the young brigade raring to take over in the near future. Here are three key Indian players whose spot in the national side is in danger after WPL 2023.

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#3 Deepti Sharma

England Women v India Women - 3rd Royal London ODI

UP Warriorz (UPW) vice-captain Deepti Sharma had a disappointing season with both bat and ball in WPL 2023.

Deepti scored only 90 runs at an average of 12.85 and a strike rate of 83.33, with a highest score of 22 clearly indicating her lack of contributions. She appeared to be on her way towards correcting her disappointingly sedate approach to batting but fell victim to old patterns during the league.

Surprisingly, the star off-spinner was distinctly subpar with the ball as well. She managed nine wickets and leaked runs at an economy rate of 8.87, often sending down overpitched deliveries and full tosses at key junctures.

With youngsters like Shreyanka Patil and Kanika Ahuja showing not just immense pedigree but also clear intent, Deepti's days could be numbered if she doesn't make significant modifications to her style of play. It's too early to claim that she should be replaced, but the alarm bells have started ringing for sure.

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#2 Devika Vaidya

WPL 2023 - UP Warriorz v Gujarat Giants

Having made a comeback to the Indian side last year, Devika Vaidya was expected to be UPW's leading wrist-spinner during WPL 2023, but things didn't turn out as anticipated.

Vaidya bowled only five overs, with skipper Alyssa Healy clearly not trusting her with more of a role. She returned one wicket at an economy rate of 11 as her consistency let her down on multiple occasions. Towards the end of the tournament, the 25-year-old lost out to young Parshavi Chopra.

Vaidya scored just 77 runs in the tournament at an average of 12.83 and a strike rate of 96.25, making only one notable contribution - an unbeaten 36 in a 10-wicket win. She was promoted to open the batting in several games but the move didn't bear fruit.

With Parshavi showing immense composure and pedigree, Vaidya's comeback to the Indian side might be nipped in the bud.

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#1 Rajeshwari Gayakwad

India v Australia - T20 Series: Game 3

Rajeshwari Gayakwad has been India's leading left-arm spinner for a while now, but she might be on the decline.

During WPL 2023, Gayakwad struggled to find her rhythm and had to rely on the pitches slowing down for even a marginal improvement in her performances. She ended up with just seven scalps from eight matches at an economy rate of 8.2 and didn't give Sophie Ecclestone the kind of support she needed.

Gayakwad isn't very capable with the bat, and finger-spinners in the women's game are naturally evolving into all-rounders. Just ask Radha Yadav, who played a scintillating innings in the final.

Even if India are okay with a specialist left-arm spinner, the impressive Saika Ishaque could leapfrog Gayakwad in the pecking order. The Mumbai Indians (MI) bowler finished fifth in the Purple Cap standings with 15 scalps and dismissed key opposition batters.