3 pressing concerns for RCB Women ahead of WPL 2024
The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) weren't at their best during the 2023 Women's Premier League (WPL) as they finished fourth and missed out on the playoffs.
This time around, Smriti Mandhana and company will want to go further than they did then by making it to the knockout stages for the first time. Their task won't be easy, with the other teams having strengthened their rosters at the WPL 2024 auction as well.
While RCB's squad wears a strong look, a couple of availability concerns have thrown a spanner in their works. There is enough talent to go all the way, but Bangalore do have a few weaknesses that can be exploited by their opponents.
RCB's squad for WPL 2024: Asha Shobana, Disha Kasat, Ellyse Perry, Indrani Roy, Shradda Pokharkar, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Smriti Mandhana (c), Sophie Devine, Georgia Wareham, Kate Cross, Ekta Bisht, Shubha Satheesh, S Meghana, Simran Bahadur, Sophie Molineux, Nadine de Klerk.
Here are three pressing concerns for RCB ahead of WPL 2024.
#3 RCB's overseas combination might be tricky to figure out once again
Following Heather Knight's withdrawal due to international commitments, RCB are in a tricky position. They've signed Nadine de Klerk as a replacement, but their overseas combination won't be easy to figure out.
Sophie Devine and Ellyse Perry are guaranteed to be part of the XI, but after that, things aren't straightforward. As a leg-spinner who can bat, Georgia Wareham has a definite edge. But who will be their fourth overseas player? Irrespective of the route taken, Bangalore might be shorthanded in at least one department.
This is a problem they suffered in WPL 2023 as they were forced to play Megan Schutt ahead of Dane van Niekerk to bolster their pace attack at the expense of other departments.
This time around, Kate Cross and De Klerk are the frontrunners, with Sophie Molineux having an outside chance. Cross doesn't have death-bowling value, but De Klerk isn't a frontline fast bowler who can guarantee four overs at all stages of the innings either.
Speaking of which...
#2 RCB's first-choice pace options aren't too convincing
Renuka Singh Thakur has been RCB's lead pacer for the last two WPL seasons, including the ongoing one. The Indian spearhead was far from her best last year as she struggled to take wickets at any stage of the innings.
Apart from Renuka, the Royal Challengers have Cross, De Klerk, Perry, Devine, Simran Dil Bahadur, and Shraddha Pokharkar to call upon. While all of them have the ability and add some incremental value, none of them are good enough to guarantee four overs that can be used across phases.
RCB might thus have to use Shreyanka Patil at the death, and that would leave them without much flexibility with their spinners in the powerplay and the middle overs. They are short of at least one reliable all-phase quick.
#1 Smriti Mandhana, the captain of the team, was hugely disappointing in WPL 2023
RCB's biggest concern stems from the top. Smriti Mandhana, the captain and arguably the most important batter of the side, hasn't done enough in her time so far as skipper to inspire her players.
In WPL 2023, Mandhana averaged 18.62 and had a poor strike rate that barely touched the 110 mark. Her highest score in the competition was 37 as she often lost her wicket while playing imprudent shots against negative matchups.
Moreover, Mandhana's captaincy has left a lot to be desired, both in the WPL and in international cricket. She has frequently made poor tactical decisions, with her lack of energy and safe fielding coming to the fore on many occasions lately.
Mandhana doesn't come into WPL 2024 on the back of a great deal of runs, and oppositions will know what they need to do against her. RCB's fortunes are directly tied to those of their skipper, who needs to step up and live up to her billing.