Gujarat Giants suffered a major setback ahead of the start of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026. Star wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia has been ruled out of the entire tournament due to injury. The WPL 2026 is scheduled to begin on January 9th, with the opening match between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The Gujarat Giants will begin their campaign against UP Warriors in Navi Mumbai on January 10th.
Yastika Bhatia’s withdrawal from the tournament has put the Gujarat Giants in a difficult position, as, according to the BCCI’s pre-existing guidelines, they will not be allowed to sign a replacement player for her. The BCCI had made it clear before the WPL auction that franchises would not be permitted to sign new players during the tournament to replace those who are declared unfit due to pre-existing injuries. This rule will significantly impact the Gujarat Giants.
Besides Yastika Bhatia, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar and UP Warriors (UPW) player Pratika Rawal are also currently not fully fit. If these two players are also unable to regain fitness before the start of the tournament, their respective teams will also not be allowed to sign replacement players.
