In a cruel twist of fate for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), their WPL 2026 campaign has been dealt a serious blow. Pace-bowling all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar—a crucial cog in their playing XI—has been officially ruled out for a minimum of two weeks due to a hamstring injury . This news couldn’t have come at a worse time for a team still searching for its first WPL title.
Vastrakar, who was acquired for a hefty Rs 85 lakh during the November 2025 auction, was expected to provide the perfect balance to RCB’s star-studded but often top-heavy lineup. Her absence now throws their entire strategy into disarray and raises urgent questions about their backup plans.
According to official team sources, the 26-year-old Indian international sustained a grade-one hamstring strain during a training session ahead of RCB’s upcoming fixture . While not a long-term tear, the injury requires a strict recovery protocol to prevent aggravation—a common issue with fast bowlers in high-intensity T20 leagues.
The medical team has mandated a minimum two-week rest period, effectively sidelining her for at least three to four critical league-stage matches. Given the compact nature of the WPL schedule, this could mean she misses nearly half the group stage.
RCB’s reliance on Vastrakar went far beyond just taking wickets. She was their primary solution to a persistent problem: bowling depth. Let’s break down her multifaceted role:
Without her, RCB’s bowling attack looks dangerously lopsided, leaning heavily on spinners like Sophie Ecclestone and Asha Sobhana, which can be exploited on batting-friendly pitches like those in Bengaluru.
Under WPL rules, teams can call up a replacement from their pre-approved list of standby players. For RCB, the most likely candidates are domestic all-rounders like Minnu Mani or Titas Sadhu.
However, neither offers the same combination of express pace and international experience that Vastrakar brings. Minnu is more of a spin-bowling all-rounder, while Titas, though promising, lacks top-level exposure. This forces captain Smriti Mandhana into a tough tactical choice: does she promote someone like Georgia Wareham to bowl more overs, or risk playing an extra specialist batter and hope the spinners can contain?
This injury is particularly frustrating because Vastrakar has barely played competitive cricket since the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in October 2024 . A prolonged gap followed by immediate high-intensity action in the WPL may have contributed to the strain—a scenario sports scientists often warn against.
Her last appearance before the WPL was over a year ago, meaning her body hadn’t fully adapted to the rigors of back-to-back high-stakes matches. This underscores a growing concern in women’s cricket: the need for more consistent domestic and bilateral fixtures to keep players match-fit between global tournaments [INTERNAL_LINK:womens-cricket-fitness-challenges].
For fantasy cricket managers, Vastrakar was a premium differential pick—offering points with both bat and ball at a mid-tier price. Her absence means managers must now look elsewhere for value, possibly turning to uncapped players or banking on RCB’s batters to carry the load.
For the team itself, the loss could accelerate a strategic pivot. If they can’t find a like-for-like replacement, RCB might double down on their batting firepower—already featuring Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, and Richa Ghosh—and adopt a “bat first and defend” approach, banking on their spinners to restrict opponents in the middle overs.
The Pooja Vastrakar injury is more than just a personnel issue for Royal Challengers Bengaluru—it’s a test of their adaptability and squad depth. In a tournament where every match can define a team’s fate, losing a player of her caliber is a severe setback. How Smriti Mandhana and the coaching staff navigate this crisis will determine whether RCB’s title dreams stay alive or fade away in the WPL 2026.
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