Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pushed their bid to ₹1.05 crore in pursuit of Australian all-rounder Sophie Molineux at the WPL 2027 auction, but were outbid by UP Warriorz, head coach Malolan Rangarajan confirmed on 29 October 2026. Rangarajan said the franchise exercised its full realistic capacity given a remaining purse of ₹1.15 crore, and also explained the decision to back injury-hit Australian left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen for ₹40 lakh.

How the Molineux bid played out

RCB entered the auction with 13 retained players and only ₹1.15 crore left to spend, making the chase for Molineux a near-maximum commitment. The franchise bid up to ₹1.05 crore — more than 91% of their entire remaining purse — before UP Warriorz prevailed.

'When you have ₹1.15 crores and you go till 1.05 for her, I think we did the best we could to get her back. We also have to recognise that we did win the championship last year. So, we would have loved to have her in our squad, and we tried to demonstrate that. But I wish Sophie the very best when she plays for UP, a gun cricketer. We would have liked her, but again, that's how the auction works, and we had other players also that we were looking at,' Rangarajan told JioStar.

Molineux had been a key contributor to RCB's title-winning campaign in the previous season, making her departure a notable squad change heading into WPL 2027.

Four players complete the squad

Despite missing out on Molineux, RCB wrapped up their roster by signing four players for a combined ₹1.10 crore. The arrivals are Australian all-rounder Jess Jonassen, South African all-rounder Chloe Tryon, Indian batter Tejal Hasabnis, and Indian batter Vrinda Dinesh. The additions reinforce RCB's spin attack, all-round resources, and Indian batting depth simultaneously.

The Jonassen gamble: injury risk, contingency plans

Jonassen is currently sidelined and has opted out of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) while nursing an injury. However, RCB say the information available to them indicates she will be fit by the end of December, with plans to play a couple of domestic List-A games in Australia before the WPL window opens.

Rangarajan was candid about the calculated risk: 'She has opted not to play the WBBL now because she is nursing an injury. The information we have at the moment is that she's going to be fit by the end of December, and she'll play a couple of domestic List-A games in Australia and should be fit in time for the WPL. JJ is a very experienced player. We're aware of her current fitness status, but we still wanted her.'

He added that backup plans are in place should her recovery extend beyond expectations, and underscored Jonassen's value as a powerplay option through the middle and death overs who can also bat between positions four and six.

RCB's retained core ahead of WPL 2027

RCB's 13 retained players provide a formidable foundation. The group includes captain Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Ellyse Perry, Georgia Voll, Nadine de Klerk, Shreyanka Patil, and Lauren Bell, among others. With the full squad now in place, the defending champions will look to build on their title triumph as the new season approaches.