Yastika Bhatia’s prolonged injury layoff has dealt a major blow to the Gujarat Giants ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026. The wicketkeeper-batter, who last played a competitive match in August 2025 during the India A vs Australia A series in Australia, has officially been ruled out of the tournament.

The setback is particularly painful for the Giants, who had invested ₹50 lakh in the 25-year-old at the recent WPL auction. Yastika has failed to recover from a persistent knee injury that has already forced her to miss India’s home series against Australia and the Women’s ODI World Cup, where she was replaced by Uma Chetry.

Adding to Gujarat’s woes, the franchise will not be allowed to sign a replacement for Yastika in WPL 2026. Under existing BCCI regulations, teams are barred from replacing players who were already injured or unavailable at the time of purchase. The rule was clearly communicated ahead of the WPL mega auction, leaving the Giants with no option but to navigate the entire season without their first-choice Indian wicketkeeper and one of their key batters.

A similar situation has unfolded at UP Warriorz, who signed Pratika Rawal despite her ankle injury sustained during the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup group stage. Like Gujarat, UP will also be unable to name a replacement if Rawal fails to regain full fitness.

Gujarat Giants acknowledged Yastika’s absence with an emotional social media video featuring messages from teammates and support staff, expressing disappointment while wishing her a speedy recovery.

WPL 2026 losing star power

Yastika is not the only high-profile name ruled out of WPL 2026. Several franchises are grappling with fitness concerns, raising questions over the tournament’s thinning star appeal. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and UP Warriorz are anxiously monitoring the fitness of Pooja Vastrakar and Pratika Rawal, respectively. Should either miss out, their teams too will be unable to sign replacements.

The situation has been further complicated by the withdrawal of Australian stars Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland due to personal reasons. Perry’s exit is a significant setback for RCB, while Sutherland’s absence leaves a major void in the Delhi Capitals (DC) lineup.

RCB have acted swiftly by roping in Sayali Satghare at her reserve price of ₹30 lakh. Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, have signed Australian leg-spinner Alana King for ₹60 lakh. King brings with her an impressive T20 résumé, including 27 wickets in 27 T20Is, prior WPL experience with UP Warriorz, and a standout performance at the recent ODI World Cup.

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Gujarat Giants squad for WPL 2026

Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Beth Mooney (WK), Shivani Singh, Bharti Fulmali, Sophie Devine, Ashleigh Gardner (C), Georgia Wareham, Kanika Ahuja, Ayushi Soni, Kashvee Gautam, Tanuja Kanwar, Kim Garth, Anushka Sharma, Happy Kumari, Titas Sadhu, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh Thakur