WPL 2027 auction: Wicket-keepers likely to be key attraction

With only 27 vacant spots to fill, the auction is expected to be focused and quick with teams knowing the exact players they want to go after. The combined budget for this mini-auction is ₹8.15 crore. The teams have already retained 63 players, leaving room for 20 Indian and seven overseas players.

Delhi Capitals will be eager to break their run of runner-up finishes with a few vital picks in the auction. They have a budget of ₹1.10 crore and five vacancies. Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp retain much of the strength that carried them to four successive finals. However, the release of Taniyaa Bhatia and Lizelle Lee has left them with only Mamatha Madiwala as their wicketkeeping option. Their primary focus will probably be on an Indian keeper rather than a marquee overseas star.

Mumbai Indians are looking to return to trophy-winning ways as they enter the auction with a budget of ₹90 lakh and six spots to fill. They acquired USA pacer Tara Norris during the trade window to fill their overseas quota, so the focus will be on Indian players. Mumbai struggled with their top order last season, so the two-time champions will be searching for an Indian top-order batter.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru walk in with a budget of ₹1.15 crore for five places. Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh and the returning Ellyse Perry provide them with the stability to mount a title defence. However, they released Grace Harris, which might prompt them to look for a power-hitter but the two-time champions might also aggressively pursue bowling cover.

Gujarat Giants have considerable spending flexibility. They have a budget of ₹1.25 crore and only three spots to fill. Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner and Georgia Wareham will form the core of the side. The Giants will probably enter the auction looking to fill the few gaps left in their squad.

Besides Kamalini, Uma Chetry and Taniyaa Bhatia could also benefit from the same scarcity. Among Indians, all-rounder Sneh Rana could be one of the most sought after names. Batters Vrinda Dinesh and Tejal Hasabnis could draw considerable attention. Shabnam Shakil has impressed with her pace and could attract franchises looking to strengthen their Indian pace department,

One overseas player that could be of interest to franchises is Sarah Bryce of Scotland, with a ₹10 lakh base price, as she presents a unique opportunity for franchises seeking greater flexibility. Under WPL rules, an Associate player can be fielded as the fifth overseas cricketer. She could provide valuable batting and wicketkeeping cover for the team that acquires her.

Some of the established internationals will face the opposite pressure. Sophia Dunkley, with a ₹50 lakh base price, will be competing for already-saturated top-order positions. Chamari Athapaththu, at ₹30 lakh, will face similar pressure. Heather Graham is an all-rounder, but at a ₹40 lakh base price and with most overseas spots filled, it will be interesting to see how much interest she attracts from the franchises.

Even proven WPL performers like Sophie Molineux and Jess Jonassen could face a shortage of demand. Most franchises have their spin departments sorted, making an expensive acquisition in that department less likely. Kiran Navgire has proven her worth as a big-hitting batter but her ₹40 lakh base price might limit the interest in her.

When we look at the roles of the available players, the imbalance becomes sharper. Of the 146 players, 74 are all-rounders. The list has 36 bowlers, 24 specialist batters and only 12 wicketkeepers.

As many as 106 players have registered at the minimum base price of ₹10 lakh. The highest bracket of ₹50 lakh is occupied by only two players: Sophia Dunkley and Sophie Molineux. The ₹40 lakh bracket has G Kamalini, Kiran Navgire, Heather Graham and Jess Jonassen. There are four players in the ₹20 lakh band, while the ₹30 lakh bracket has 30 players.

The season is set to run from January 14 to February 7, 2027.