Stat-blast: Numbers that validate RCB’s WPL retentions

A week from now, the WPL 2026 Mega Auction will be upon us, going into which RCB will have a purse of INR 6.15 Cr to spend after making four retentions. RCB’s retention list comprised high-profile names in skipper Smriti Mandhana (INR 3.5 Cr), Richa Ghosh (INR 2.75 Cr), Ellyse Perry (INR 2 Cr) and Shreyanka Patil (INR 60L).

Not just were the four of RCB's retained players putting up memorable individual performances, their emphatic contributions also propelled RCB to the franchise's first-ever WPL trophy, which came in 2024. Before we dive into the auction dynamics, here’s a quick look at the numbers racked up by our retained players.

Smriti Mandhana

Mandhana was the first-ever pick of the auction and also RCB’s maiden buy. Since then, her presence in the side has been of consequence as she has dictated the charts in her own clinical style. With 646 runs to her name scored at a strike rate of 128.68, Mandhana has registered four half-centuries. Apart from her batting finesse, her captaincy has been another major factor which has been a key ingredient in RCB’s rampant showdown in the WPL.

Richa Ghosh

Ghosh has added a new dimension when it comes to finishing games. A ruthless striker of the ball, Ghosh turns things around emphatically. With 625 runs scored at a strike rate of 150.96, she can be a destroyer of the highest order. Apart from her batting madness, she is a stellar wicket-keeper as well. Lightning fast reflexes backed by her chatter for the bowlers, makes her a value addition to the team indeed.

Ellyse Perry

The second highest run-scorer in the antiquity of the WPL, Ellyse Perry has been an absolute revolution for RCB. With 946 runs next to her name scored at an average of 64.80, the highest amongst the top run-getters in the tournament, Perry has been a trendsetter. No matter the obstacles, she has always managed to find a way and more importantly the strike rate of 132.96 has been another major marker that makes her a standout performer. Perry also has 14 wickets next to her name, six of which came against Mumbai Indians in 2024 in a must-win match underlining her reputation as a big-match player.

Shreyanka Patil

Despite injuries plaguing her availability in the WPL, Shreyanka’s never-give-up attitude has been something worth noticing. In the 15 matches that she has played, Shreyanka has 19 wickets at an economy rate of 8.51. She was also the leading wicket taker for RCB with 13 wickets in WPL 2024, winning the Purple Cap in the process. Patil’s haul of four wickets in the WPL 2024 final was the closing touch of what was already a dominant performance from the Royal Challengers. She will be hopeful of making a strong comeback in WPL 2026.