Ellyse Perry headlines RCB’s player retention list ahead of WPL 2027 Auction
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained 13 players from their 17-member title-winning WPL 2026 squad - a list headlined by the return of Australian superstar all-rounder, Ellyse Perry.
The foreign duo of Grace Harris and Linsey Smith were among the released players, along with domestic players Dayalan Hemalatha and Gautami Naik.
Speaking on video posted on RCB's social media, Head Coach Malolan Rangarajan made the announcement, saying, “As far as our retentions are concerned, RCB has retained 13 players, and Ellyse Perry has made herself available to play for RCB in the upcoming WPL.”
Sharing his gratitude for the released players’ contributions to the franchise, Malolan added, “RCB has decided to release four players: Hemalatha, Gowthami, Linsey, and Grace Harris. It's really important to appreciate the effort and commitment with which these players played for RCB. They played an integral part in us winning our second title, and I want to take this opportunity to thank them again for all the effort they put in for RCB.”
Malolan also shed some light on factors that influenced the retentions - including that of Perry - and quipped, “It was a long drawn process, the whole retention process, where we had our coaches, and Smriti involved in it. Perry indicated that she'd be more than happy to come back and play for RCB sometime in August (2026), post which we got together and we thought about how we could improve our squad.”
RCB are the current champions of WPL, having won the franchise's second title of the competition after beating the Delhi Capitals in the summit clash of WPL 2026.
Full squad (prior to Auction):
Smriti Mandhana (C), Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Lauren Bell, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Prema Rawat, Georgia Voll, Nadine de Klerk, Sayali Satghare, Pratyoosha Kumar.
