New Delhi: Smriti Mandhana, the skipper of defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), said the franchise got what they were looking to get from the 2025 WPL player auction held in Bengaluru on Sunday.
In the mini auction, RCB acquired Uttarakhand leg-spinner Prema Rawat for Rs 1.2 crore, before roping in Joshitha VJ, Raghvi Bist and Jagravi Pawar for Rs 10 lakh each to complete their squad for the 2025 season title defence.
“I am really happy with the auction picks; we have got what we were looking for, making the team more dynamic and ready for all challenges and situations. I am thrilled to have Prema Rawat, Joshitha VJ, Raghvi Bist, and Jagravi Pawar, who have done exceptionally well in the domestic circuit, and I can’t wait to join the girls in the dressing room and give our best for the RCB fans,” said Smriti in a statement issued by the franchise on Monday.
Prema came under RCB’s radar after playing a key role in Mussoorie Thunders winning the inaugural Uttarakhand Premier League (UPL) this year. Joshitha, the pace-bowling all-rounder from Kerala, had attended RCB’s pre-auction trials and is currently with the Indian team in the U19 Asia Cup in Malaysia.
Raghvi, Prema’s state team-mate, had been one of standout performers for India A on their tour of Australia and is with the T20I team for their series against the West Indies in Navi Mumbai. She was also the Player of the Match in India E winning Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy in Ranchi. Jagravi, on the other hand, was a member of Mumbai team winning Senior Women’s T20 Trophy this year.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad for WPL 2025: Smriti Mandhana (c), Sabbineni Meghana, Richa Ghosh (wk), Ellyse Perry, Georgia Wareham, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Sophie Devine, Renuka Singh, Sophie Molineux, Ekta Bisht, Kate Cross, Kanika Ahuja, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Prema Rawat, Joshitha VJ, Raghvi Bist, and Jagravi Pawar
(IANS)
