Smriti Mandhana, captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), described their WPL 2025 season as a journey of highs and lows. Despite starting and ending the season strong, a series of losses in the middle phase prevented them from reaching the knockout stage. The defending champions began with two victories but then suffered five consecutive defeats, ultimately finishing second to last in the league table.
In her post-season press conference, Mandhana adopted a philosophical approach, focusing on the positives and the lessons learned. She reflected on how crucial moments slipped away from them, suggesting that seizing those opportunities could have changed their season dramatically. She pointed out that the team’s performance was like a joke they had – starting strong, finishing strong, but losing direction in the middle.
Mandhana acknowledged the team faced challenges, including injuries to key players like Asha Sobhana, Shreyanka Patil, and Sophie Molineux. A significant setback was their inability to win at their home ground in Bengaluru, losing all four matches there, a stark contrast to their home performance in the previous season. These home defeats, often in close matches, were particularly disappointing, especially given the strong support from local fans.
Despite the disappointments, Mandhana expressed pride in the team’s resilience and character, especially in maintaining a positive attitude despite close losses. She emphasized that in franchise cricket, consistency is key and sticking together as a team is crucial, regardless of wins or losses.
Another factor that didn’t favor RCB was the toss outcome during their home games. Teams winning the toss consistently chose to chase, and with favorable conditions for chasing, RCB’s inability to win tosses and set large enough targets became a disadvantage.
Mandhana also reflected on her own form, admitting she didn’t score enough runs in the middle phase of the tournament. The team heavily relied on Ellyse Perry’s exceptional batting performance, who became one of the top run-scorers in the league. Mandhana praised Perry’s influence on the team, particularly for younger Indian players, highlighting her work ethic and valuable experience.
A bright spot for RCB was the aggressive batting of Richa Ghosh, who had the highest strike rate in the team. Ghosh’s powerful hitting and shot variety were highlighted as a major positive for RCB and for Indian cricket in general. Mandhana lauded Ghosh’s game-changing abilities and her consistent growth over the past seasons.
In conclusion, while WPL 2025 was a season of mixed fortunes for RCB, captain Smriti Mandhana focused on the lessons learned, the team’s resilience, and the emergence of positive performances from players like Ellyse Perry and Richa Ghosh.
