5 players RCB must retain ahead of WPL 2026 Auction ft. Smriti Mandhana 

The Women's Premier League (WPL) is expected to take a new direction ahead of the 2026 edition following three successful editions. The competition is likely to follow the route that the men's competition took a while back, which is the introduction of the infamous mega auction.

So far, aside from the inaugural auction, which helped the franchise establish their first-ever squads, the WPL has been conducting a mini-auction to polish off the teams. However, a mega auction presents itself as an opportunity for franchises to conduct an overhaul, with only a handful of retentions permitted. The remaining players will have to return to the auction pool.

According to a report by ESPN Cricinfo, there is no unanimous approval for the mega auction, with certain teams unwilling to tamper with their core.

"The franchises are awaiting confirmation from the WPL on the number of retentions, the auction purse, the retention slabs and how many right-to-match (RTM) card options would be available. Those decisions will be finalised by the WPL committee, but there is no confirmation on when they are likely to meet, the report further states.

On that note, take a look at five players RCB must retain ahead of the WPL 2026 Auction.

Honorable mentions: Georgia Wareham, Sneh Rana, and Renuka Singh Thakur

#1 Smriti Mandhana

An obvious call for the franchise would be to keep hold of the face of the franchise, their skipper, and one of the best batters in world cricket. Smriti Mandhana has delivered on all fronts in the first phase of the WPL, including the elusive title, which justifies her steep price tag as well.

With Smriti Mandhana continuing to stack up runs and break records at the international level, she promises to scale even higher heights, which is why it would be wise for RCB to tap into the potential and keep her as the focal point of the core in the seasons ahead.

#2 Richa Ghosh

High-quality Indian wicket-keeper batters are a rarity in the WPL, and the fact that RCB were able to land the first-choice player in the very first auction was a smart buy. Given that she is still only 22 years old, her prime is arguably yet to come.

Over the course of the first three seasons of the tournament, she has been brilliant with her glovework and her role in the middle-order, whether it be setting up a platform or finishing off the innings.

It would be almost an impossible task for RCB to be better off by releasing Richa Ghosh, and seeking an alternative option in a competitive event like the auction. The franchise would consider themselves lucky to already have a solid option among their ranks, and it comes across as a no-brainer decision to proceed with this retention.

#3 Ellyse Perry

The Australian all-rounder was one of the several high-profile buys for RCB in the first-ever option, and safe to say, she lived up to her reputation. Leading run scorer for the franchise, and second overall with an exceptional average of 64.80 and a strike rate of 132.96, the franchise already have an ideal backbone for their middle-order before the auction itself.

Perry recently had a decent campaign for the Birmingham Phoenix in the 2025 Women's Hundred competition, scoring 208 runs in eight matches with a strike rate of 123.07. She was also the leading run-scorer in the 2024-25 Women's Big Bash League (WBBL).

As a result, with form and ability not being an issue, she clearly has a lot more to offer for RCB, and at the same time, the franchise also needs her services equally, as it would be difficult to find such a productive player from the auction pool.

#4 Sophie Molineux

The Australian spin all-rounder played a crucial part in RCB's triumphant 2024 campaign, and her absence due to injury was surely felt in the 2025 season.

Sophie Molineux guided the Melbourne Renegades to the 2024-25 Big Bash League (BBL) title, while picking up 16 wickets in just seven matches at an average of 12.06. She is also having a solid Women's ODI World Cup campaign in the subcontinent.

While primarily a bowler, she can also feature as a floater in the batting order. She has not been able to translate that ability into the WPL yet, but she is certainly an option should the need arise, based on the potential.

#5 Shreyanka Patil

The leading wicket-taker of the 2024 WPL, Shreyanka Patil, is certainly another long-term prospect that RCB have in their hands. She was a major absence in the 2025 season due to injury, but given her skillset, the franchise certainly have her in their plans as a member of the core, courtesy of a combination of performances and potential.

The spin bowler has had some injury concerns of late, but she recently made her return during the 2025 Caribbean Premier League (CPL), and it is only a matter of time before she returns to the national squad as well.