Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru head into the TATA WPL 2026 season with two smart bargain deals, securing Nadine de Klerk and Lauren Bell to sharpen their pace attack and finishing power. Speaking on JioStar’s ‘TATA WPL: Know Your Team’, JioStar experts Saba Karim, Veda Krishnamurthy and Anjum Chopra praised Bell’s World Cup hardened new-ball edge, de Klerk’s steal of a price and lethal finishing partnership with Richa Ghosh, and RCB’s enhanced squad balance.
Speaking on JioStar show ‘TATA WPL: Know Your Team’, JioStar expert Saba Karim outlined why Lauren Bell’s experience and Women’s World Cup form make her an ideal signing for RCB:
“Lauren Bell is a very good buy for RCB. They needed an experienced overseas pace bowler. Now they have a bowler in the form of Lauren Bell who knows how to perform under pressure. She also understands Indian conditions and had a fantastic Women’s ODI World Cup. Overall, she will be a great buy for them.”
On how the duo of Richa Ghosh and Nadine de Klerk gives RCB a feared finishing pair:
“With Nadine de Klerk and Richa Ghosh in the middle order, RCB now has two powerful finishers in their squad. This presence of both of them will create fear in the minds of other teams’ bowlers. Both players give the belief that they can come and win a match even in difficult situations. Opposition bowlers will have a tough time bowling against this batting pair of Richa and de Klerk.”
Speaking on JioStar show ‘TATA WPL: Know Your Team’, JioStar expert Veda Krishnamurthy analyzed the strategic importance of RCB’s acquisition of pacer Lauren Bell:
“Royal Challengers Bengaluru needed a pace bowler who can take wickets with the new ball in the powerplay. Lauren Bell has that skill. After not getting Renuka Singh Thakur, they needed someone for that job, probably an overseas player. Lauren Bell is a really good buy at Rs.90 lakh for RCB. She is surely going to play a very important role with the ball.”
On the upside of RCB’s acquisition of the in-form all-rounder Radha Yadav:
“Radha Yadav is in good form in T20s. RCB wants to back her. There were rumors they tried to get her in a trade before the auction, which they couldn’t, but they ended up securing her services in the mega auction. She is an excellent fielder, one of the best. Her batting has also improved a lot. If she can get her bowling right and gain confidence with Smriti Mandhana as captain, that is something she would want more than anything.”
Speaking on JioStar’s ‘TATA WPL: Know Your Team’, expert Anjum Chopra highlighted the value Lauren Bell brings to the squad of RCB, emphasizing the need for quality pace in the tournament:
“Lauren Bell missed the last WPL season. It is good she will play this season for RCB. The experience she earned from the Women’s ODI World Cup in India will be a great help. She is a good fast bowler. She is impressive and hits the deck hard. Fast bowlers will be important this season. It should not just be about spinners.”
On RCB’s acquisition of Nadine de Klerk and how she will form a scary finishing batting pair with Richa Ghosh:
“Nadine de Klerk’s signing by RCB is a bargain deal. It is a steal to get her for 65 lakh rupees. RCB is very lucky. There were not many takers for her by the time her name came up in the auction. But it will be scary for bowlers to see Richa Ghosh and Nadine de Klerk batting together in the death overs. It is going to be very nice and exciting.
