The season opener of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 will kickstart with an intriguing clash on January 09 (Friday). Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will face off against the defending champions, Mumbai Indians (MI), at the DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.
After a title-winning campaign in 2024, RCB had a disappointing run in 2025. However, the revamped squad in the November 2025 mega auction reignites the hopes of the former champions to clinch their second WPL trophy.
Meanwhile, the Smriti Mandhana-led team dealt with a massive blow following Ellyse Perry’s withdrawal, citing personal reasons. Although the Royal Challengers found Mumbai’s domestic cricket standout performer Sayali Satghare, the overseas star power will certainly be missed.
With a couple of days left for the WPL season 4 to commence, let’s predict how RCB can form its best playing XI combination.
1. Smriti Mandhana (Captain)
Having been the pillar of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Smriti Mandhana enters the WPL 2026 with full confidence. The most expensive player of the WPL exhibited the best performance on her home ground in the Women’s World Cup 2025.
The hopes are set high for the left-handed batter to fill Ellyse Perry’s void, given her aggressive approach to anchoring the innings in the powerplay and accelerating in the death overs.
Since the WPL’s inception in 2023, Smriti has amassed 646 runs in 26 innings for RCB, averaging at 24.84, including 4 fifties to her name.
2. Georgia Woll (Overseas)
Although Georgia Woll played only 3 games for UP Warriorz in the previous WPL season, she accumulated 154 runs at an average of 77. It includes her best unbeaten knock of 99 runs against her current team, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
However, the WPL 2024 champions secured her services for INR 60 lakh during the mega auction. Finally, RCB’s opening woes have been solved as she will open the innings alongside Smriti Mandhana, promising to add firepower to the right-left combination at the top order.
3. Dayalan Hemalatha
After representing Gujarat Giants for three consecutive WPL seasons since 2023, Dayalan Hemalatha has now joined RCB for INR 30 Lakh. Batting at the No. 3 position, her ability to counterattack spin bowling attacks and keep the scoreboard ticking makes her a reliable batter to add stability to the top order.
The 31-year-old compiled 293 runs in 21 innings, averaging 18.31, including 2 fifties to her name.
4. Grace Harris (Overseas)
Having represented UP Warriorz since the inaugural WPL season in 2023, Grace Harris’s inclusion in RCB’s squad promises to bolster the middle-order unit.
The spin-bowling all-rounder justifies her price tag worth INR 75 lakh, given her abilities as a power hitter against spin and her handy contributions as an off-spinner. She is certainly the most valuable player to watch in the starting XI lineup that lacks Ellyse Perry’s commanding presence.
5. Richa Ghosh
As a top-quality aggressive finisher, Richa Ghosh once again proved her power-hitting abilities in the 4th T20I against Sri Lanka. Her unbeaten 16-ball-40-run knock (including 4 fours and 3 sixes) establishes her worth as the death over specialist, which is indeed the biggest strength for RCB to accelerate the innings total.
Furthermore, Ghosh’s dual abilities as a wicketkeeper and batter secure her spot in the playing XI.
6. Nadine de Klerk (Overseas)
RCB, after releasing Nadine de Klerk from the squad, re-signed the overseas star cricketer worth INR 65 lakh.
After Ellyse Perry’s withdrawal, the 25-year-old becomes the core fast bowling all-rounder. Her match-winning 2-fer (2/24 in 5.3 overs) in the Women’s World Cup 2025 semi-final against England highlights her reliability as a pace bowler.
When it comes to playing high-scoring knocks in the lower order or bowling 4-over spells, Nadine offers the perfect balance to RCB’s batting and bowling unit that struggled in the previous years.
7. Pooja Vastrakar
RCB shelled out of its expenses to acquire Pooja Vastrakar, worth INR 85 lakh. The Madhya Pradesh-born fast bowler has proven to be a destructive death over specialist in the past seasons.
She can perform in multiple ways as an aggressive pacer and lower-order batter, which is a massive boon for Bengaluru.
8. Shreyanka Patil
Shreyanka Patil’s return to RCB’s squad adds fuel to the spin bowling attack. The Purple Cap winner of the WPL 2024 had a disastrous outing in the previous season and missed out on crucial games due to a thigh injury.
The 23-year-old’s off-spin abilities in the powerplay and death overs make it tough for batters to compile runs.
9. Radha Yadav
Radha Yadav’s immense experience in the 20-over format bolsters the spin bowling attack alongside Shreyanka Patil. Her ability to restrict the flow of runs in the middle overs and her ability to take stunning catches establish her worth as a core player in the bowling unit.
10. Arundhati Reddy
Delhi Capitals’ releasing a lethal pacer like Arundathi Reddy allowed RCB to make use of the opportunity to secure her deal worth INR 75 lakh.
The year 2025 turned out to be fortunate enough for the former DC pacer after she won back her spot in the national team.
Arundathi’s ability to bowl toe-crushing yorkers makes her the best seam bowling option for RCB.
11. Lauren Bell (Overseas)
Lauren Bell turned out to be the most expensive buy for RCB in the mega auction, worth INR 90 lakh.
The 6-foot-2-inch tall English bowler can dismantle the opponent team’s top order with her destructive spells in the powerplay overs.
Overall List of RCB’s Best Playing XI for WPL 2026
Here is an overall glimpse of RCB’s best playing XI for WPL 2026, including the maximum quota of four overseas players:
- Smriti Mandhana (Captain): Batter
- Georgia Woll (Overseas): Batter
- Dayalan Hemalatha:Batter
- Grace Harris (Overseas): Spin Bowling All-Rounder
- Richa Ghosh:Wicketkeeper and Batter
- Nadine de Klerk (Overseas): Fast Bowling All-Rounder
- Pooja Vastrakar: Fast Bowling All-Rounder
- Shreyanka Patil: Spin Bowling All-Rounder
- Radha Yadav: Spin Bowler
- Arundhati Reddy: Pace Bowler
- Lauren Bell (Overseas): Pace Bowler