Mumbai Indians completed their squad for the TATA WPL 2027 auction held in Kochi on October 28 with six uncapped players, operating on the lowest available purse of Rs 90 lakh. The franchise signed Shweta Sehrawat, Disha Kasat, Latika Inamdar, Bharti Rawal, Saanika Chalke and Akshita Bhagat to fill their roster. All six selections were players without prior Women's Premier League experience, reflecting a strategic focus on emerging domestic talent.
Bowling coach Jhulan Goswami reflected on the auction, labelling Kiran Navgire as a major miss for the side, despite getting the players they wanted. Navgire was picked up by the Delhi Capitals for INR 75 lakhs, with the two-time champions unable to extend their bid due to their limited purse. Their purse of INR 90 lakhs was the lowest available for teams at the auction.
"We tried our best and went as far as we could for Kiran Navgire, but unfortunately, we didn't get her. And that's how the auction dynamics work. She is an impactful player. So, we definitely expected quite a few teams to go after her. But at the same time, we had other options. Thankfully, we got most of the players we wanted. So, yeah, the auction was very good, and we are all very happy," Goswami said to JioStar.
How did Mumbai Indians identify their uncapped signings?
Mumbai Indians' scouting process prioritised identifying young domestic talent with consistent performances and a winning mindset. The franchise picked several players at their base prices, which Goswami pointed out as a reflection of the detailed groundwork undertaken by their recruitment team throughout the domestic cricket calendar.
"Our job as a coach is to look at young players who score runs on a regular basis in domestic cricket, take wickets, bat at a good strike rate, and win matches for their team. The most important thing is: do they have that winning mindset? Because performances can be up and down, but you must have that mindset with which you can take the team ahead and make the team win. Whatever players we picked at their base price this time, they have that ability, and they have been performing quite well consistently for their state teams," Goswami said.
"Picking several players at base prices shows how hard our scouting team is working. And scouting is a round-the-clock process since you have to follow matches, irrespective of whether they are happening in India or outside India. And because of them, it becomes easy for us when we come to the auction table, knowing who our targets are," she added.
What was the outcome of Mumbai Indians' auction strategy?
The auction outcome reflected Mumbai Indians' strategic planning despite operating with the lowest purse available. The franchise successfully secured most of their targeted domestic players at competitive prices, demonstrating effective preparation and knowledge of the player market.
"I think, more or less, 95 to 97 per cent of the players we had targeted, we got them, except Kiran Navgire. We didn't get her. But we knew it was going to be a challenge. We didn't have the budget to go further than what we did. But all the other Indian domestic players that we had targeted, we more or less got all of them at their best prices, except Shweta Sehrawat. So, yeah, we are very happy with the auction. We came into this auction with the lowest purse of Rs 90 lakhs, so we had to plan and prepare, keeping that challenge and accordingly different options in mind. And when you face challenging situations, your best performance comes out, both on the cricket field and off the field," Goswami added.
