What's the significance of the WPL auction on October 28?
Each of the five teams reset ahead of 2026 in what was the WPL's first mega-auction. The WPL 2027 auction in Kochi on October 28 is more about smoothing some rough edges. A total of 146 players will compete for 27 slots.
Is there a set template to the auction?
It will begin with a full round of capped players - batters, allrounders, wicketkeepers, fast bowlers and spinners in that order, followed by a full round of uncapped players. It's possible the accelerated rounds will begin after Player No. 50.
After the first accelerated round (covering players from 51 to 146), franchises will be asked to nominate a set number of players. After these players have been presented, franchises will be requested to submit names of unsold players from the full list of 146 for the subsequent accelerated process.
What are the team budgets like?
The overall team purse remains unchanged at INR 15 crore. But what teams have available depends on how many players they have released. Simply put, lesser the purse, more the stability.
Who has the biggest purse?
UP Warriorz have the biggest purse, having released the most players. They have eight slots (five Indian and three overseas) to fill, and INR 3.75 crore available. That is 200% more than their nearest competitor, Gujarat Giants (INR 1.25 crore). Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (INR 1.15 crore), four-time runners-up Delhi Capitals (INR 1.10) and Mumbai Indians (INR 90 lakh) come next.
Eight releases seems a bit too many. What led to the churn?
Quite simply the results. UP Warriorz finished last in 2026 and have yet to make the final in four attempts. Last year's performance would've been particularly disappointing since they completely overhauled, naming a new captain and coach in Meg Lanning and Abhishek Nayar.
Who is their biggest surprise release?
Shweta Sehrawat, UP's only retention ahead of the mega auction. Just 46 runs in six innings at a sub-100 strike rate didn't help her case. This season, with Pratika Rawal fit and ready for her maiden WPL stint (UP Warriorz picked her at the mega-auction), it could be hard to accommodate two similar batters in the top order. That said, releasing Sehrawat frees up INR 50 lakh. They might look to sign her for cheaper.
Are there any similar releases from other teams?
The most significant is Grace Harris by RCB, but it wasn't entirely unexpected. Sure, Harris and Smriti Mandhana formed a fearsome opening combination, but with Ellyse Perry coming back - she missed WPL 2026 for personal reasons - RCB would've struggled to fit Harris in. For now, their overseas make-up seems set: Georgia Voll likely to be Mandhana's opening partner, with Perry coming in at No. 3, allrounder Nadine de Klerk, and fast bowler Lauren Bell make up their four overseas slots.
Who are the overseas players likely to be in big demand?
There's Harris, of course. But beyond her, there's Australia's T20 World Cup-winning captain Sophie Molineux, who was part of RCB's title-winning squad in 2024, and Jess Jonassen. Molineux missed the 2025 season due to a knee injury, and pulled out of the 2026 season. This time around, she has listed herself at a base price of INR 50 lakh. Molineux adds lower-order batting heft, while being a bankable four-overs bowler. Jonassen, previously with DC, missed the 2026 season due to a shoulder injury.
Who are the uncapped Indians to watch out for?
Vrinda Dinesh and Gongadi Trisha - part of India's previous Under-19 World Cup winning team - could be snapped up, as they're two exciting batters from the domestic stables. Also look out for Mumbai's 15-year-old Ira Jadhav, who made waves at the T20 League in Mumbai.
The WPL long list sent to teams has a lot of English players missing.
That's true. Only two English players - Sophia Dunkley and Kira Chathli (INR 10 lakh) - have registered for the auction, while others like Alice Capsey, Dani Gibson, Lauren Filer and Linsey Smith have stayed away.
The lacklustre interest is partly due to the relatively low salaries on offer at the WPL. Most England internationals earn significantly more playing in The Hundred (up to £190,000 last year) than the highest permitted base price in the WPL of INR 50 lakh (approx. £40,000).
Also, England are likely to play three T20Is in Sri Lanka early February, which clashes with the final week of the WPL.
Why was G Kamalini released by MI?
Kamalini is understood to be in the running for next year's U-19 World Cup, which clashes with the WPL. MI didn't want a scenario where they retained her (at 1.1 crore), but couldn't play her, as it would've locked up some of their purse. Unlike in men's cricket where the BCCI has a soft rule that prevents a player from featuring in two successive U-19 World Cups, there are no such rules in place for women's cricket at the moment.
Will venues have a bearing on players who will be picked?
Not really. We still don't know where the tournament will be played officially, although Vadodara and Mumbai are the names doing rounds.