3 superstar Indian players who endured terrible individual campaigns in WPL 2023
The 2023 Women's Premier League (WPL) careened to a halt with a see-saw final between the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Delhi Capitals (DC) on Sunday, March 26.
Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. triumphed in the inaugural edition of the league, clinching a seven-wicket win in the summit clash. They were the team to watch out for in the round-robin phase as well, with most of their players making valuable contributions.
Other teams weren't as lucky, though. A couple of franchises that invested heavily in established Team India stars were left to rue their decisions, with certain high-profile players enduring a rough run of form.
Here are three superstar Indian players who have endured terrible individual campaigns in WPL 2023.
#3 Renuka Singh Thakur
Few could've expected just how badly Renuka Singh Thakur's WPL 2023 campaign would go. The lead Indian pacer was snapped up for a whopping ₹1.5 crore by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the auction, and she was expected to lead the attack of a side that seemed destined for the playoffs.
However, Renuka finished the tournament with just one scalp to her name. She played six matches before being dropped from the playing XI, and her average of 159 was ample proof of the fact that she completely lacked any wicket-taking threat.
Renuka bowled almost 17 overs and leaked runs at an economy rate of 9.54. Her strike rate of 100 was consequently shambolic as well. Without her help, RCB endured a painful season with the ball, often struggling to produce breakthroughs.
#2 Deepti Sharma
The UP Warriorz (UPW) arguably punched above their weight to reach the WPL 2023 playoffs, where they met their match in MI. They could've gone further in the tournament had some of their star players, including Alyssa Healy and Deepti Sharma, turned in better displays.
Deepti, in particular, was highly disappointing. She managed nine wickets in nine matches but leaked runs at an economy rate of 8.87, with her bowling average of 34.33 being significantly higher than anyone placed above her on the Purple Cap list.
The off-spinner tried to bowl yorkers throughout her spell, veering away from flighting the ball and generating some turn. She often got her lengths wrong at key stages of the innings to be taken for runs.
Deepti was terrible with the bat as well. The 25-year-old recorded just 90 runs at an average of 12.85 and a strike rate of 83.33, with a highest score of 22. Her familiar intent issues, which she seemed to be on her way to rectifying, resurfaced.
#1 Smriti Mandhana
The most expensive player in the WPL 2023 auction was also arguably the biggest disappointment in the competition. RCB skipper Smriti Mandhana finished a lowly 19th on the Orange Cap list at the end of the tournament as her team failed to make the playoffs.
Mandhana recorded only 149 runs in the WPL at an average of 18.62 and a strike rate of 111.19, with a highest score of 37. She often played untimely shots against negative off-spin matchups to get out, clearing the ropes just three times during the entire season.
RCB and their fans would've expected more from Mandhana, who is arguably Team India's best batter. She showed a clear lack of game awareness, and her captaincy was also distinctly sub-par. The 26-year-old must shoulder some of the blame for Bangalore's bizarre team selection policies as well.