Mumbai Indians bowling coach and mentor Jhulan Goswami has praised the franchise's scouting unit for enabling a highly targeted Women's Premier League (WPL) 2027 auction, in which the side picked up six uncapped Indian players at or near base price despite entering the bidding table in Kochi on 29 October 2026 with the lowest available purse of just ₹90 lakh. The haul underlines how year-round talent monitoring can offset financial disadvantage at the auction table.

The Six Players Mumbai Indians Secured

Working within their tight budget, Mumbai Indians completed their squad by signing Shweta Sehrawat, Disha Kasat, Latika Inamdar, Bharti Rawal, Saanika Chalke, and Akshita Bhagat — all uncapped at the national level but consistent performers in domestic cricket. The sole exception to base-price acquisitions was Delhi-based Sehrawat, previously retained by UP Warriorz in 2026, who attracted a bidding contest between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals before being signed by MI for ₹20 lakh, double her base price.

What Jhulan Goswami Said About Scouting

'Whatever players we picked at their base price this time, they have that ability, and they have been performing quite well consistently for their state teams. Picking several players at base prices shows how hard our scouting team is working. And scouting is a round-the-clock process since you have to follow matches, irrespective of whether they are happening in India or outside India. And because of them, it becomes easy for us when we come to the auction table, knowing who our targets are,' Goswami said in an interview with Jio Star.

She stressed that scouting goes beyond scorecards. 'Our job as a coach is to look at young players who score runs on a regular basis in domestic cricket, take wickets, bat at a good strike rate, and win matches for their team. The most important thing is: do they have that winning mindset? Because performances can be up and down, but you must have that mindset with which you can take the team ahead and make the team win,' she added.

The Kiran Navgire Chase That Got Away

Mumbai Indians made an early push for India batter Kiran Navgire, widely regarded as one of the most explosive hitters in the women's domestic circuit, but withdrew from the bidding at ₹70 lakh after hitting the limits of their budget. Delhi Capitals eventually secured Navgire for ₹75 lakh. 'We tried our best and went as far as we could for Kiran Navgire, but unfortunately, we didn't get her. And that's how the auction dynamics work. She is an impactful player. So, we definitely expected quite a few teams to go after her,' Goswami acknowledged.

How MI Managed the Lowest Purse in the Auction

Goswami noted that the constrained budget actually sharpened the franchise's planning. 'We came into this auction with the lowest purse of ₹90 lakhs, so we had to plan and prepare, keeping that challenge and accordingly different options in mind. And when you face challenging situations, your best performance comes out, both on the cricket field and off the field,' she said. By her own reckoning, Mumbai Indians secured between 95 and 97 per cent of their targeted players, missing out only on Navgire and paying above base price only for Sehrawat.

WPL 2027 Schedule

The WPL 2027 season is scheduled to run from 14 January to 7 February 2027, with host venues yet to be announced. Mumbai Indians will be looking to leverage their domestically deep squad as the tournament approaches, with Goswami's coaching experience expected to play a key role in developing the newly signed talent ahead of the season.