Challenges aplenty for Smriti & Co. as RCB aim to defend title

Outlook: After a fairytale redemption curve, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are in a pickle even before their title defense could begin. Several key players are injured or unavailable, including Sophie Molineux, Sophie Devine, Kate Cross, Shreyanka Patil, and Asha Sobhana. Ellyse Perry, who has just recovered from a hip injury, might start the season as a pure batter.

Where they finished in WPL 2024: Champions

Auction round-up: RCB broke the bank to secure the services of legspinning all-rounder Prema Rawat for INR 1.2 crore. They also bought Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Joshitha VJ, Raghvi Bist, and Jagravi Pawar at the base price of INR 10 lakh.

Newsmaker(s): Danielle Wyatt-Hodge is expected to hit the ground running after being bumped up her chances due to injuries and availability concerns around RCB's first-choice XI.

Watch out for: Raghvi Bist, a hard-hitting middle-order batter who also bowls seam, can form a potent partnership with Richa Ghosh down the order.

Probable XI: Smriti Mandhana (C), Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Ellyse Perry, S Meghana, Raghvi Bist, Richa Ghosh (wk), Georgia Wareham, Kanika Ahuja/Shreyanka Patil, Kim Garth, Prema Rawat, Renuka Thakur

Full Squad: Smriti Mandhana (C), Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Georgia Wareham, Shreyanka Patil, Danielle Wyatt-Hodge, Heather Graham, Kim Garth, Charlie Dean, Ekta Bisht, Renuka Singh Thakur, Jagravi Pawar, Raghvi Bist, Meghana S, Kanika Ahuja, Joshitha VJ, Prema Rawat, Asha Sobhana

Schedule: RCB are the only team of the five to get a complete home leg of four league games. They kickstart their campaign in Vadodara against the hosts, Gujarat Giants, on the opening night, and also take on Delhi Capitals there two days later.