Picture Credit: BCCI/WPL
Royal Challengers Bengaluru head into the TATA WPL 2026 season with renewed confidence after a disciplined showing at the auction. Speaking on JioHotstar, RCB Head Coach Malolan Rangarajan and Assistant Coach Anya Shrubsole highlighted their strategy, the value of all-round additions such as Nadine de Klerk, Grace Harris, Pooja Vastrakar and Arundhati Reddy, and the importance of this squad delivering results on the field.
Speaking on JioHotstar, RCB Head Coach Malolan Rangarajan reflected on the TATA WPL Mega Auction: “Patience pays dividends, that sums up our entire auction approach. We stayed patient while big money was spent early. Our preparation was crucial. We knew exactly what type of players we needed and how to build our squad. I'm very happy with the players we've brought into our team.”
On RCB’s auction approach: “We wanted Sophie Molineux back, but she didn’t register for the auction. We focused on improving our winning combination rather than making major changes. Our goal was building the best bowling attack while maintaining batting power. With Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry already in the team, adding Nadine de Klerk and Grace Harris gives us more options. Pooja Vastrakar and Arundhati Reddy provide bowling flexibility and batting depth too. We wanted a good fielding side, and I’m happy with our picks, but the real proof will come on the field.”
On Pooja Vastrakar’s fitness and Arundhati Reddy’s addition to the team: “A fully fit Pooja Vastrakar brings great value to any team. She’s currently rehabbing at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, and our information suggests she could be ready in the next few weeks. With WPL still a month away, we have enough time to get her match-ready. Arundhati Reddy is another excellent addition, a World Cup winner, top fielder, and a bowler who can deliver in all phases. She's also a great character to have in our team, so we're very happy with these signings.”
On the work ahead after the auction: “I believe you can’t win the IPL or WPL at the auction, but you can certainly lose it there. We’ve got a good team now, but we can’t take things for granted. This is just the first step, now our coaches and entire support staff need to work hard to prepare our players for the challenges ahead.”
Speaking on JioHotstar, RCB Assistant Coach Anya Shrubsole expressed satisfaction with the team’s auction picks: “We were looking for a top-order batter as a replacement for Georgia Wareham, who brings the quality and power on the table like her, and we found the perfect option in Nadine de Klerk. We are really pleased with that addition. Nadine de Klerk’s all-round abilities make us very happy with our auction results so far.”
