Predicting the top 3 buys in the first set of wicket-keepers at the WPL 2023 auction

The clock is ticking towards the inaugural WPL 2023 auction, to be held on Monday, February 13, in Mumbai. With 409 players up for grabs in the mega event, the five franchises in the competition will look to fill their rosters, which can host a maximum of 18 players each.

Right up their alley will be a certain set of wicket-keepers who are bound to fetch a solid sum not just for their glovework but also because of their ability to change games with the bat in hand.

The first set of wicket-keepers on the list released by the BCCI comprises eight names who will go under the hammer. Their names are expected to come up after the two marquee sets and the first set of batters and all-rounders.

On that note, we try predicting the top three buys in the first set of wicket-keepers at the WPL 2023 auction:

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#3 Yastika Bhatia

While she remains a mainstay in the Indian ODI setup, Yastika Bhatia hasn't quite set the stage alight in T20Is. She did play the recent tri-series in South Africa in Richa Ghosh's absence, but her scoring tempo left a lot to be desired.

Having said that, Bhatia was recalled to the T20 squad on the back of a strong showing in the Senior Women's T20 Challenger Trophy. The 22-year-old left-handed batter has shown incredible improvement with the gloves while also having the ability to hold an innings together.

The southpaw is bound to fetch more than a few bids at the WPL 2023 auction, and it wouldn't be a surprise if she fetches a decent sum at that.

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#2 Alyssa Healy

Easily one of the most destructive batters the women's game has seen, Alyssa Healy has always been a positive endorser of a big T20 league for the women's game in India.

It's here now, and the WPL 2023 auction is bound to see Healy become a top-drawer attraction. After all, the wicket-keeper is not just a match-winner up top, but she also has the uncanny ability to turn up clutch in the big games.

Healy also captained Australia during their recent T20I sojourn on Indian shores, and WPL franchise owners will be aware of the leadership edge she brings with her. She could be the costliest acquisition in the first set of wicket-keepers, although the fact that there is a huge market and only limited overseas spots to fill could see her come a close second.

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#1 Richa Ghosh

Richa Ghosh's T20I strike rate reads 134.27 after 30 games in the format. That is pretty much enough to tell you what this 19-year-old dasher from Siliguri is capable of with the bat in hand.

A member of the Indian team that recently lifted the ICC Women's U19 T20 World Cup, Ghosh can change the course of a game in a matter of an over or two. Not only can she hit the ball a long way from the word go, but she also dons the role of a finisher - a thankless job which she has excelled at big-time so far.

Clearly, the sky is the limit for Ghosh. The sky will remain the only limit for her at the WPL 2023 auction as well, where she could walk away with the biggest paycheque in the first set of wicket-keepers.

After all, a hard-hitting finisher who can double up as a wicket-keeper is not the most commonly available proposition in the market, is it?

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Which of these wicket-keepers do you think will fetch the highest sum at the WPL 2023 auction? Let us know below in the comments section!

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