It has been a forgettable start to the Womens's Premier League (WPL) for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. While the franchise had picked up a star-studded squad at the auction ahead of the inaugurual season, the team has just not been able to produce the results on the ground. The team appointed Smriti Mandhana as their captain after she became the most expensive played to be purchased at the bidding war for Rs 3.4 crore. And now when the team has not yet bagged a point in the season, she has even faced online abuse for the performance.
Other than the fact that RCB have not yet won a game under her captaincy, she has received flak for her returns with the bat. In the 4 innings, the Bangalore skipper has only fetched 80 runs with a best of 35. Her strike rate has been an impressive 133.33 but she just hasn't been able to a get big score under her belt.
Journey for RCB In WPL 2023 so far
Bangalore lost to Delhi Capitals in their first match before facing a defeat against Mumbai Indians. In their third fixture of the season, Bangalore succumbed to a defeat against Gujarat Giants before the fourth defeat on the trot in the match against UP Warriorz. Amid criticism for her leadership and her personal form, Mandhana has received support from the team's marque all-rounder Ellysse Perry.
"Knowing Smriti and how proud and responsible she is for her own game, there's probably no more pressure on her than what she is putting on herself," Perry said after Bangalore's 10-wicket loss to Warriorz.
"It's a ginormous task to come into a brand new competition and play with a group of players she has never played with before and try and make that all gel in a matter since she joined the group," the 32-year-old stated.