3 RCB players who are not in form heading into WPL 2025 ft. Ellyse Perry

The third season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is fast approaching, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) set to take on Gujarat Giants (GG) in the season opener on Friday, February 14, at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara.

Under Smriti Mandhana’s captaincy, RCB claimed the 2024 title by defeating Delhi Capitals in the final. However, as the 2025 season approaches, the team is dealing with several injury and availability issues.

Sophie Devine has taken a break from cricket to prioritize her well-being, while left-arm spinner Sophie Molineux is unavailable due to injury. Kate Cross has also withdrawn to focus on injury rehabilitation.

Star all-rounder Ellyse Perry, who recently suffered a hip injury during the Ashes, has rejoined the squad despite still recovering. To address these absences, RCB has signed England’s Charlie Dean as a replacement for Molineux, and Heather Graham and Kim Garth have been brought in to cover for Devine and Cross.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad for WPL 2025: Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Sabbhineni Meghana, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Kanika Ahuja, Charlie Dean, Kim Garth, Heather Graham, Shreyanka Patil, Ellyse Perry, Raghvi Bist, Asha Sobhana, Ekta Bisht, Renuka Singh, Georgia Wareham, VJ Joshitha, Jagravi Pawar, and Prema Rawat.

Smriti's team still appears strong on paper, but a few key players have struggled with form recently. In this article, we highlight three RCB players who are not in peak form heading into WPL 2025.

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#1 Ellyse Perry

The top player on the list is Australian all-rounder Ellyse Perry, who played a pivotal role in RCB's 2024 victory. The 34-year-old was the leading run-scorer, amassing 347 runs in nine innings at an average of 69.40, including two fifties. She also contributed with the ball, taking seven wickets during the season.

However, Perry has struggled for form heading into the 2025 season. In the 2025 Women’s Ashes, she scored 76 runs across three ODIs, including one half-century, but was less impressive in the three T20Is, managing only 21 runs. In the one-off Test, she scored just two runs in a single innings.

Given her recent struggles, Perry will be eager to regain her full form and fitness as she heads into the 2025 WPL season.

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#2 Sabbhineni Meghana

The second player on the list is Sabbhineni Meghana. The 28-year-old contributed 168 runs in six innings for RCB during the 2024 season, including a half-century. However, the right-handed batter, whose last international appearance was in 2022, has been out of form recently.

In the Senior Women's T20 Trophy, representing Andhra, Meghana scored just 79 runs in seven innings at an average of 11.29, with a top score of 25. Similarly, in the Senior Women's One Day Trophy 2024, she managed 143 runs in seven innings, averaging 23.83, with an unbeaten 41 as her highest score.

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#3 Danni Wyatt-Hodge

Another prominent player facing a dip in form is veteran England batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge. Still awaiting her WPL debut, the 33-year-old had a tough time during the 2025 Women’s Ashes series. In the three ODIs, Wyatt-Hodge scored only 73 runs, while in the three T20Is, she managed 69 runs.

Her performance in the one-off Test was similarly underwhelming, as she could only manage 24 runs across two innings, and England suffered a whitewash in every format. Though struggling with form, Wyatt will be aiming to make a strong impression in her debut season with the Bengaluru franchise.