A team full of superstars just couldn't click in 2023. It prompted a comprehensive season review that would change everything in 2024
It's July 2023, Royal Challengers Bangalore began a season review after finishing fourth in the inaugural WPL. The team, which included superstars like Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, Sophie Devine, and Heather Knight, had a forgettable season. Mandhana had been feeling the heat of captaincy and sought out Meg Lanning after one of the games. However, the tide turned on Sunday night when Mandhana stood on the winner's podium with pride and joy, while Lanning stood alone with tears rolling down her cheeks. This stark contrast highlights the importance of a positive performance in a team's success.
The Indian cricket team, RCB, has won the Women's IPL title in New Delhi, marking a significant achievement for the team. The winning team, consisting of the entire RCB squad, huddled around a mobile phone screen, waving and pumping fists. Virat Kohli, RCB's face for a decade and a half, was present on the other side. Kohli has come within touching distance of an IPL crown three times, but was denied. The women's victory was a poetic moment, as it was the first time the team had won the title in Kohli's hometown.
Mandhana, a member of the winning team, soaked in the winning feeling and briefly joined her dancing team-mates before meeting RCB's top brass, including the chairman Prathmesh Mishra and vice-chairman Rajesh Menon. Mandhana expressed the importance of the title win to the management and ownership, stating that the management encouraged her to run the team the way she liked. She then contacted Luke Williams, a former South Australia cricketer who had helped Adelaide Strikers win back-to-back WBBL titles.
Shreyanka Patil finished WPL 2024 as the Purple Cap winner•BCCI
Mandhana, an Australian allrounder, was endorsed by her Brave teammate and Australia allrounder Tahlia McGrath, who had worked with Luke Williams. The franchise decided to overhaul their structure, and Williams was offered a job. Mandhana was initially drawn to Luke Williams due to his focus on building a good culture and his success at Adelaide.
Mandhana and Williams discussed their auction strategy, with Mandhana deciding to be available for the women's domestic season, even if it meant giving up a lucrative offer from the WBBL. Playing domestic cricket was a conscious decision for Mandhana, as she wanted to get used to Indian conditions and to better understand the scouting team.
Williams and Mandhana would discuss the squad's makeup over lengthy calls, and they even discussed bidding for Sophie Molineux, the left-arm spinning allrounder. This decision was made to help the team adapt to Indian conditions and gain a better understanding of the Indian environment.
Georgia Wareham, signed by Gujarat Giants for INR 75 lakh last year, was also shortlisted but wasn't a definite shoo-in. She was released as part of a massive restructuring after just two games and was acquired by RCB at INR 40 lakh. The management admitted to being surprised no one challenged them, but they had budgeted more for an overseas legspinner. Wareham repaid the faith by picking up seven wickets and striking her runs lower down the order at 163.23.
RCB's auction strategy was just one side of the coin, as they had a meticulous plan to unlock the best from their Indian players. They conducted skills and fitness camps for local players, and all of them were routinely monitored by RCB's trainers, who tailored custom-made programs. S Asha was among those who immensely benefitted from this.
Asha, a 32-year-old cricketer, believed she had a good five years ahead of her with small tweaks. She turned up fit and ready at the start of the season, delivering two wins. In their season-opener against UP Warriorz, Asha spun RCB to a win by striking three times in an over and denying Amelia Kerr in the final over of the Eliminator with Mumbai Indians needing 12 runs.
Richa Ghosh, another shining star of RCB's campaign, was given a simple message to become fitter and stronger. She returned reinvigorated and hit the winning runs on Sunday, making her the forefront of the team's winning picture. A week prior to the final, Richa had made 51 off 28 against the Capitals, but couldn't take RCB over the line and they fell short by a run. She channeled that hurt in a positive way to stand tall when her team needed it in the final.
Shreyanka Patil, who was last year's breakout star, was also recognized as one of the heartbeats of the team. She endured a poor start to the campaign, missing a couple of games with a niggle that needed a splint on her left hand and suffering a twisted ankle on the field against Mumbai.
Richa Ghosh, another shining star of RCB's campaign, was given a simple message to become fitter and stronger. She returned reinvigorated and hit the winning runs on Sunday, making her the forefront of the team's winning picture. A week prior to the final, Richa had made 51 off 28 against the Capitals, but couldn't take RCB over the line and they fell short by a run. She channeled that hurt in a positive way to stand tall when her team needed it in the final.
Shreyanka Patil, who was last year's breakout star, was also recognized as one of the heartbeats of the team. She endured a poor start to the campaign, missing a couple of games with a niggle that needed a splint on her left hand and suffering a twisted ankle on the field against Mumbai.
Prior to the season, Shreyanka had endured a few off-field issues during the inter-zonal tournament. Some miscommunications between her and the Karnataka team management over availability, soon after the Australia series ended, had snowballed into something bigger. It was a needless controversy, none of it Shreyanka's making.
"There was one South Zone game where I was not happy, [Mandhana] came to me and I shed my tears in front of her," Shreyanka said. "When I told her the reason, she told me 'March 17 is the day you are going to do it for us'." Shreyanka had a remarkable second half, and finished the tournament with 13 wickets to walk away with the Purple cap.
Molineux, Wareham, Richa and Shreyanka are, of course, also just a few of several examples within the setup who thrived because of the environment that Perry spoke glowingly about, having had a ringside view of how teams operate over the years in a high-performance environment.
That Perry, an introvert herself, broke the ceiling and did a few dance jigs and celebrated with her mates over bowls of ice-cream, endless fun sessions in the team room or while fiercely competing in games of dumb charades as part of team-building told you of a setup that had insulated themselves from the pressures of having to live up to reputation.
"All through our goal was to not think of the goal," Mandhana said. It's a tag line they stuck by all through. And one they let go only after the final goal was achieved, after which Mandhana proudly said, "there's a statement that's always associated with this team. It's finally time to say 'ee sala cup namdu.' The narrative had changed from 'this time the cup WILL BE ours' to 'this time the cup IS ours.'
This was by no means a perfect campaign. That they managed to win despite two A-list stars Devine and Renuka having below-par seasons told you how well the rest of the group combined to clinch it.
On Tuesday, the franchise will hold a glitzy event to mark their build-up towards the upcoming IPL season, with performances from several known names from the entertainment industry.
Title No. 1 has been secured and the celebrations planned at the 'Unbox' event will only double. Sure enough, the fans will all be there at the Chinnaswamy in red and gold, cheering for their beloved 'Arrrr-Ceee-Beeee'
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