WPL 2027 Auction: RCB Looking To Plug Gaps In Bid For Title Defence, Says Rangarajan

Royal Challengers Bengaluru:  Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will use the WPL 2027 auction to fill the gaps in their squad as they try to become the first team to retain the title and be the tournament’s three-time winners, said head coach Malolan Rangarajan.

RCB will enter the auction with Rs 1.15 crore in their purse and have to fill five slots. “You look at what you did well in the league last year, you try to understand how the league has evolved over the last year and you find gaps within your team and you are constantly looking to improve.

“But the work started a while back and it’s not now, the work continues. The WPL is coming in January and all we are looking to do now is how we can improve our squad and give us the best chance to go and be the first team to win three championships and the first to be back-to-back (winners),” said Rangarajan in a video posted on WPL’s social media accounts on Wednesday.

The coach added that the groundwork for the auction, starting at 5:30pm in Kochi, had been laid months in advance, with the franchise’s scouts and coaches getting to work immediately after the final ended in them winning WPL 2026 in Vadodara.

“RCB has two franchises, both in the IPL and WPL, so there is a lot of work that goes on. But we had our scouts and coaches - all of them started working with our players right after the WPL finals. So the work actually started right after the finals.”

RCB’s bid will be strengthened by the return of star Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry, who opted out of the previous season due to personal reasons. “Perry is a very integral part of our team, she has contributed to RCB regardless of us winning or not. It will be a huge boost for her return to our team.

“Obviously, she strengthens; everybody knows what she does on the field, be it batting, bowling and fielding, so I don’t have to go into detail about what an impact she can have for the squad,” said Rangarajan.

He also congratulated RCB captain Smriti Mandhana on her taking over as India's full-time captain. “First of all, very well deserved for Smriti. I think she has been a very, very valuable servant to Indian cricket, and she really deserves it. It’s a proud moment for RCB, absolutely, that we have one of our own leading the country.

“Obviously, she strengthens; everybody knows what she does on the field, be it batting, bowling and fielding, so I don’t have to go into detail about what an impact she can have for the squad,” said Rangarajan.

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Article Source: IANS