Yashika Bhatia has been officially ruled out of WPL 2026, giving Gujarat Giants one of the biggest setbacks ahead of the season. The wicketkeeper-batter has been left out due to recovery from an ACL surgery that she underwent in October and which had put her availability in doubt much before the start of this tournament.
WPL Auction Rule Leaves GG Without Replacement
Just a week before the WPL 2026 auction, the league had clearly communicated to the franchises that any team that decides to sign Yashika Bhatia will not be allowed a substitution in case the player is declared unavailable.
But despite this, both Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz (UPW) were so sure about her recovery that they got into a bidding war. Gujarat Giants finally managed to sign her for a fee of 50 lakhs, taking a chance on the associated rehab timeline.
Coach’s Message Highlights Long-Term Faith
After verifying her unavailability, a message was shared by the Gujarat Giants head coach, Michael Klinger, on their official social handles. He wished Bhatia the best in her recovery and is sure that she will be back with the “team looks forward to having her back fit and strong” and contributing her skills in the Giants in the upcoming WPL season of the Giants.
A New Chapter That Will Have to Wait
The Woman’s Premier League 2026 was expected to be the debut season for Yashika Bhatia in the Gujarat Giants team. Before the transfer, she was playing for the Mumbai Indians (MI) team for three years. In her tenure with MI, she appeared in 28 matches where she scored 506 runs with an average of 18.74 and a strike rate of 113.45.
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Seen Supporting GG Despite Injury
Though she was not available for selection, Bhatia stayed connected with the team. In the opening match of Gujarat Giants vs. UP Warriorz at Navi Mumbai, she was spotted supporting their team from the sidelines along with the owners. GG won a thrilling 10-run victory in this high-scoring encounter.
GG and UPW: The Race for a Final Spot
With three seasons of the Women’s Premier League having been completed, Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz are the only two sides that have failed to reach the WPL finals thus far, and the loss of the experienced player Yashika Bhatia in WPL 2026 will only serve to add to the difficulty they face in attempting to improve that record.
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