WPL Auction 2025: Dottin returns to big spenders Gujarat Giants

WPL Auction 2025: Dottin returns to big spenders Gujarat Giants

Deandra Dottin has returned to Gujarat Giants, with the franchise bidding INR 1.7 Crore to get the services of the West Indian allrounder for the upcoming season of the Women's Premier League. Dottin, who was picked by Giants ahead of the inaugural season, was left out from the tournament for falling to get the medical clearance before the deadline date. Dottin's inclusion further strengthens the overseas top-order options for Giants, which already includes Beth Mooney, Laura Wolvaardt and Pheobe Litchfield

Giants, who had offloaded seven players ahead of the auctions, were the busiest team on the auction day, having to spend INR 4 Cr to buy four players for the upcoming season. The most expensive of them was Mumbai allrounder Simran Shaikh, who cost the franchise INR 1.9 Crore. Simran, who was released by UP Warriorz ahead of the auctions, scored 176 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 100.57 in this season's BCCI Senior Women's T20 Trophy. In the T20 Challenger Trophy though, she scored at a strike rate of 202.50

Giants also picked the English pace-bowling allrounder Danielle Gibson and Mumbai's legspinner Prakashika Naik at their base prices of INR 30 lac and INR 10 lac respectively.

Mumbai Indians

Tamil Nadu's promising 16-year-old wicketkeeper, G Kamalini, was the most sought-after Under-19 cricketer at the auction on Sunday, with Mumbai Indians securing her services for INR 1.6 Crore. Her hard-hitting abilities were recently put to the fore in the Women's Under-19 T20 Trophy, where she hammered 311 runs in 8 innings at a strike rate of 123.90. Mumbai Indians' head coach noted that she was one player who was discussed significantly as a target for the team, as a backup for Yastika Bhatia as also the left-handed option that she offers with the bat. Kamalini was one of the three Indian picks Mumbai Indians made at the auction, apart from Rajasthan's Akshita Maheshwari and Madhya Pradesh's Sanskriti Gupta, both of whom were picked for their base price of INR 10 lakh each.

Mumbai Indians also snapped South African all-rounder Nadine de Klerk for her base price of INR 30 lakh.

Delhi Capitals

Delhi Capitals had little work at the auction table. They stretched themselves as far as INR 1.5 Crore to secure the services of Kamalini, but in vain. However, they were surprised to get Nandini Kashyap for as low as INR 10 lakh. Kashyap, the third-highest run-getter in the Senior Women's T20 Trophy, scored 247 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 125.38. Delhi also invested in Scotland wicketkeeper Sarah Bryce, allowing themselves now the option of playing with four foreign players in the XI. With two quality wicketkeeping options picked at the auction, it leaves the question whether the settled Indian core XI will now have competition, especially the wicketkeeper Taniyaa Bhatia.

India's Under-19 captain Niki Prasad, who went unsold in the first round, was eventually picked by Capitals for her base price of INR 10 lakh. Andhra's slow left-arm spinner N Charani also saw a duel interest by Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, before being picked by the latter for INR 55 lakh.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

RCB also invested INR 10 lakh each on Joshitha VJ, Raghvi Bisht and Jagravi Pawar. While Pawar was the second-highest wicket-taker in the Senior Women's T20 Trophy, picking 16 scalps in 11 innings at an economy rate of 4.02, 18-year all-rounder Joshitha VJ hammered 144 runs at a strike rate of 175.60 in the Under-19 T20 Trophy.

Prema Rawat was another spinner who caught the attention of Delhi Capitals, who lost out on a bid of INR 1.2 Crore by Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The 23-year-old leggie from Uttarakhand, picked seven wickets in as many innings in the Senior Women's T20 Cup, but at a stingy economy rate of 4.63. Much like Kashyap, she also caught the attention in the recently-concluded Uttarakhand Premier League.

UP Warriorz

UP Warriorz made an active start at the auctions, stretching their purse for Dottin. Eventually, they ended up having a rather quiet day, picking only three players and spending as little as INR 50 Lakh. Their biggest pick of the day was Australia's leg-spinning all-rounder Alana King, which completed their roster of foreign players and further strengthened their spin attack. King is unlikely to find a place in the XI, but with their lead spinner Sophie Eccelstone's workload needing to be managed, they have opted to bring her as a back-up option. While Warriorz continue to be thin in their pace department like the previous two seasons, they have picked up Madhya Pradesh seamer Kranti Goud and Delhi batter Arushi Goel, both getting picked for their respective base price of INR 10 lakh.