Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been at their dominant best in the ongoing edition of the Women’s Premier League. Though they already wore the crown of supremacy in 2024, they have never qualified for the finals as the table-toppers, with six victories in eight matches. That is, until this year.
Central to this dominance has been the calm, assured leadership of captain Smriti Mandhana. With 290 runs at a strike rate of 141.46 and an average of 48.33, she currently sits third on the list of leading run-scorers, just 10 runs short of equalling her highest-ever tally in a WPL season.
Yet, it was only recently that she reportedly was engulfed in personal troubles, over a marriage that was called off at the last moment. Judging by her performances this season, however, she appears to have negotiated those off-field difficulties with remarkable resolve.
How did she do it? According to former cricketer Jatin Paranjape, her love for the game has helped her trump whatever challenges were thrown in her way. In an exclusive interaction with The Quint, Paranjape shares his views on Mandhana’s leadership and the wider WPL narrative.
Smriti Mandhana has looked in sublime touch. How do you read her form, particularly in light of the challenges she has had to deal with off the field?
Smriti Mandhana has been tremendous. I have been watching her very, very closely in this WPL. Sometimes what happens is that when you’re faced with a personal problem, the best escape is to do what you love most, which is playing cricket. When you’re out there in the middle, fully immersed in the game, you’re not thinking about your personal problems at all. And I think that’s exactly what we’re seeing with Smriti as well. She looks completely in her zone because she’s out there doing what she loves best.
Which foreign players have impressed you this season?
I think Nadine de Klerk has been amazing. I was expecting her to do well because I watched her closely during the World Cup as well. Another player I think is very special is Phoebe Litchfield. She is someone who can win matches on her own. These are two foreigners who have been pivotal.
And in terms of the lesser-known Indian names, which players have caught your attention?
I think Anushka Sharma has obviously been impressive. Shree Charani is already a World Cup winner, but has impressed me a lot as well. Every team now has one or two relatively unknown players who suddenly do something and take everyone by storm. That, for me, is a barometer — an indicator of how well the grassroots game is growing across the country.
We have seen plenty of high scores in WPL 2026. How do you assess the evolution of batting standards in this competition?
I think the standard of batting has gone up over the last couple of years, particularly in T20 white-ball cricket. That’s also because the physical strength of women cricketers has improved significantly, with players now working alongside some of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the world. As a result, the physical element of the game has gone up, and we’re seeing higher scores and bigger boundary-hitting more consistently.