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WPL auction: The blueprint Gujarat Giants aim to follow
Gujarat Giants, with a ₹9 crore budget, aim to improve in the Women's Premier League by focusing on team culture, scouting, and bowling depth.
New Delhi: As the Women’s Premier League resets itself for a new cycle, the Gujarat Giants find themselves in a familiar but delicate place. Armed with a sizable purse of ₹9 crore – the second most for a team – and buoyed by last season’s playoff run, they are conscious that the mega-auction on November 27 is their opportunity to change fortunes.
For head coach Michael Klinger, the team’s culture is non-negotiable and in retaining the Australian duo Beth Mooney and Ash Gardner, they have also reinforced continuity that they have worked hard to build.
“Our retention decisions focused on maintaining consistency and team chemistry while aligning with our long-term goals,” he told HT. “We had a strong playoff run last season and we want to build on that momentum to pursue the title this year. Retaining players who consistently perform and demonstrate the right attitude both on and off the field helps us foster a winning culture, which is critical for success.”
Data vs eye test
While teams follow different scouting strategies, Giants focus on data and analytics but also strike a balance with the eye test and intuition.
“Scouting is a blend of both data analytics and traditional eye tests. Statistics can give us an initial gauge of player performances but there are crucial intangibles like temperament, game awareness, and character that only observation can reveal,” he explained. “The domestic and state leagues in India are vital grounds for spotting talent and we focus heavily on a comprehensive assessment that looks beyond just numbers.”
Local connect
A pressing question for the Giants has been the choice to retain two overseas superstars while letting go of all Indian players including the likes of Harleen Deol, Kashvee Gautam, Meghna Singh and Priya Mishra.
“We had some quality Indian players in our squad, and it was a difficult decision to not retain them with the rules of the mega-auction,” the Australian said. “However, heading into the auction with a big purse gives us flexibility. Indian players are essential to our vision and we’ll go after the players we want to acquire.”
He also points to something often overlooked in building a local connect, despite the current absence of Indian stars. “We had the chance to play in front of our local fans last season in Vadodara, which helped us build a stronger connect with them.”
Auction focus
Giants have also identified the bowling depth as a priority at the auction. With pitches in India varying dramatically and match-ups dictating selections, they will be hoping to strike the perfect balance between seam and spin. In the 2025 squad, GG had three specialist seamers and just as many spinners and as many as seven all-rounders.
“We need to ensure we have enough depth in our bowling unit,” Klinger said. “With Ashleigh Gardner already in the side, we have a captain and leader for our spin department. Now, it’s about adding the right mix of players alongside her to ensure depth in our bowling unit giving us flexibility to prepare for all conditions.”
Multi-dimensional players
Modern T20 cricket values multi-dimensional players — and so does Klinger. He emphasised that specialists and utility players help with maximising squad flexibility. The retentions allow Giants to have world-class batters along with an impeccable spinner in Gardner and a wicket-keeper in Mooney.
“Ashleigh Gardner adds that utility as an all-rounder. She probably walks into any side as a pure batter or a pure bowler. Meanwhile, Beth Mooney offers utility as one of the best T20 openers and a quality wicketkeeper. That allows us to be flexible in our plans when looking at specialist players to plug certain gaps.”
Team ethos
Despite a promising squad last season, Gujarat faltered against eventual winners Mumbai Indians in the eliminator. The focus is on building a balanced squad with experienced international players and domestic talent but regardless of that, Giants are heavily focused on building a team that is rooted in personal and team values.
“We want players who have a strong team ethic and contribute positively to our team dynamics through effective communication,” Klinger says. “Every player is unique and offers something with their skill sets. For us, adaptability, physical fitness and mental conditioning are essential characteristics that create a resilient team culture capable of handling the ups and downs of a demanding season.”
With clarity and a substantial purse at their disposal, the Giants head into the WPL auction with a sense of direction and a coach who knows exactly what he wants in his team.
