Image Source : BCCI/WPL
Defending champions Mumbai Indians face 2024 winners Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the TATA WPL 2026 opener, pitting MI's loaded match-winners against RCB's quest for stability without Ellyse Perry. Speaking on JioHotstar’s show 'TATA WPL: Curtain Raiser', Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, and JioStar expert Veda Krishnamurthy discussed MI's fearsome core, Mandhana's international form challenge, Perry's irreplaceable leadership void, and focus on enjoyment and work ethic.
Speaking on 'TATA WPL: Curtain Raiser', Mumbai Indians captain Harmanpreet Kaur emphasized the importance of enjoying the game and helping teammates over succumbing to pressure:
"You feel pressure in any format, whether it is WPL, international cricket, or domestic matches. You set a high standard for yourself and expect a lot. But the most important thing is to enjoy yourself on the field. Other than taking pressure, I would love to enjoy my game. Winning the Women's ODI World Cup and the WPL as captain adds extra responsibility to win again. But my main focus as captain is to help the players feel settled and enjoy the game."
Speaking on 'TATA WPL: Curtain Raiser', RCB captain Smriti Mandhana emphasized a strong work ethic and translating her international batting form to the WPL: "I think the whole RCB squad is very balanced this season. We had a good mega auction. I always tell the team we have to focus on our work ethic. What happens on the field is not in our hands. But the way we have been batting for the last two years, I am sure we will continue that for RCB. I have also been batting well in the last two years and I want to bring that success from international cricket to the WPL. There is no better feeling than winning matches for your team, whichever team you play for. I am really looking forward to doing that."
Speaking on 'TATA WPL: Curtain Raiser', JioStar expert Veda Krishnamurthy detailed the increased expectations on captain Smriti Mandhana to provide stability in Ellyse Perry's absence: "Smriti Mandhana’s focus on hitting aerial shots will have a big impact this season. She has evolved as a cricketer, using her feet more and playing the leg side against spin, which is new. That is an added advantage. I feel Ellyse Perry's absence is a big question. Smriti will not just play a captain's role, but also take on the responsibility of carrying the team forward. The squad has firepower with Grace Harris, Richa Ghosh, and Georgia Voll. But the stability Perry gave RCB is something Smriti will need to provide. I am not saying she should curb her shots. She still strikes at 150. But she will need to play longer innings.”
On why the star-studded, match-winner-heavy Mumbai Indians squad is so formidable:
"Defending champions Mumbai Indians spent a lot to keep their players and also bought them back. They got lucky with Shabnim Ismail for just 60 lakhs after spending 3 crores on Amelia Kerr. They have five key players. Gunalan Kamalini is young and is a like-for-like replacement for the injured Yastika Bhatia. The other four are proven match-winners: Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Amanjot Kaur. That makes a solid top six. With Amelia Kerr at five, you have a strong lineup. Then you have Shabnim Ismail, Hayley Matthews, Nat Sciver-Brunt, and Amelia Kerr giving you 16 overs of international bowling. You can fill the rest with players like Sajeevan Sajana, Poonam Khemnar, or Saika Ishaque. The first three years have shown that just four or five players often win games for them. I think it will be like that again. Of course they need a full team of eleven, but the match-winners are fully loaded. That is what makes Mumbai Indians so dangerous."
On the expectation for Smriti Mandhana to translate her international batting form to success for RCB: "RCB have won the WPL once in the last three years. But the batting consistency we expect from captain Smriti Mandhana has not been seen at the WPL stage. She hit a purple patch last year and was incredible in all formats. She was the highest run-scorer for India in both 2023 and 2024, which shows her class. If that form continues at the WPL, they might not miss Ellyse Perry as much if Smriti performs."
On the impact of Ellyse Perry's absence on RCB:
"Ellyse Perry got that team together. You would see her running around the field, giving advice to the bowlers or Smriti when pressure built. She brought so much energy with her diving and catches. She created an aura in the squad. You cannot replace what she did. In every pressure situation, she was scoring for RCB. She scored more than 60% of the team's runs in three years, over 900 runs. She took them through wins and losses. One person cannot shoulder that. You can't ask Smriti to score all those runs. But the best that can be done is for Smriti to hold one end more. You also cannot replicate Perry's leadership. RCB will miss that. Smriti might miss having her watching over her shoulder on the field."
