A basher at the top, who can change the course of a WT20 in minutes. A canny left-arm spinner who can stifle batters from the opposition. Why then, did the Royal Challengers Bengaluru let go of Grace Harris and Linsey Smith ahead of the auctions for the 2027 season?
One of the key reasons is the problem of plenty. It is a good headache to have, but as long as it is in a manageable position. With the number of stars that RCB have, there could be a slight hinge towards overseas players in a tournament which has been designed to produce the next Indian stars.
Bengaluru’s biggest bundle of joy ahead of the auctions came when Ellyse Perry announced her availability for the entirety of the 2027 season. The GOAT in Women’s cricket had missed the entire 2026 season due to personal reasons. Now, that meant, the franchise had to maintain its overseas pool, because while Perry is a must, Georgia Voll, Lauren Bell and Nadine de Klerk stamped their worth as ones that cannot be left out.
So, this brings budget into picture. Perry’s retention meant that the defending champions would have felt a bit of a hole in their purse, and hence, to balance their money, they had to make some tough calls. The key releases mean that the two-time champions now have a purse balance of 1.15 CR INR for 5 slots.
Another area of thought was the need of pace-bowling allrounders. RCB have a plethora of hitters and excellent bowlers, along with spin-bowling allrounders. It is the pace-bowling allrounder department which could give them an extra edge, like a kind of backup or support for de Klerk.
Additionally, with the Women’s Premier League being an Indian tournament, the focus has to be on Indian players. Hence, Bengaluru have decided to keep their settled Indian core of 9 players untouched. Let’s try and dissect the two mentioned players individually as well.
Grace Harris is a destructive allrounder, known to be flexible as an opener or as a finisher in the middle order. With the ball, her off spin can be utilized to pick up key wickets. However, if you look at the last few matches, Harris has not bowled consistently in WT20s, while with the bat, she has crossed the 30-mark just thrice in the last 11 innings. So, Harris’ poor batting form has also added to her non-retention.
Linsey Smith could possibly find herself being given a rough call. She was not at her best in The Hundred Women this year, but otherwise, she has been pretty decent throughout her WT20 career, doing well globally. But she will also understand that in a franchise filled with superstars, it is probably best for her that she is being relieved, simply because of the lack of opportunities. In the 2026 edition, she played just 3 matches and bowled 8 overs.
That is why, it is said, tournaments could be won or lost at the auction table. Whom to select? Whom to leave out? Whom to keep faith on? These are all calculated gambles, which sometimes work and sometimes don’t. RCB will hope that it is their settled core which helps them defend their title come 2027.
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