WPL Auction: Jhulan Goswami on MI's strategy to retain core players

Mumbai Indians' bowling coach Jhulan Goswami revealed their WPL 2026 auction strategy focused on retaining their core championship-winning team. She praised captain Harmanpreet Kaur's vital role in the process and called the buys excellent.

Mumbai Indians' (MI) bowling coach and mentor Jhulan Goswami explained the franchise's auction strategy at the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 mega auction that took place on November 27. She highlighted the importance of maintaining continuity, making smart purchases and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's vital contributions during the auction. Mumbai Indians successfully reacquired several of their key players, including Amelia Kerr, Sajeevan Sajana, Saika Ishaque and Shabnim Ismail, after having released them earlier.

MI's 'Simple' Auction Strategy

Speaking on JioHotstar, Jhulan said the team's auction strategy focused on retaining their core group of players, which has been key to winning two championships in the past three years. "The important thing for us was to retain our strong support group of players. That's how we've won two championships in the last three years. That was the basic plan, nothing more," she said.

Harmanpreet Kaur's Crucial Role

Jhulan Goswami said that Captain Harmanpreet Kaur's input was crucial during the auction, helping retain the team's core, with the coaching staff supporting her decisions both on and off the field. Notably, under Harmanpreet's captaincy, MI won the inaugural WPL 2023 edition and then won their second in 2025 as well. "As Captain, Harman's inputs are always crucial during auction planning. At the end of the day, she leads this team and has been incredibly successful. Her inputs have been the most important part of the entire auction process. Our job is to support her on and off the field. Having her at the auction table was a huge advantage, her thoughts mattered deeply, and they helped us retain the core of this team," the former Indian pacer said.

Key Player Acquisitions

Jhulan further said Amelia Kerr and Shabnim Ismail were excellent acquisitions, providing balance and experience. "Amelia Kerr was a great buy. She gives us so much, variation, volume and balance. Over the last three years, she has performed exceptionally well in the tournament, and as an all-rounder, she is very important. Along with her, Shabnim Ismail was another excellent buy. We didn't expect to get Shabnim at such a low price. So, from a budget perspective, our planning worked well. It was a pleasant surprise because we thought she would go for a much higher amount," Jhulan added. (ANI)

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