As the WPL gets ready for its 2026 edition, the retention phase has become a hot topic of strategy, debate, and interest. By the deadline of November 5, 2025, all five franchises had signed their contracts. This makes the league’s plan for the next big auction clearer than ever, but there are still a loss of suprises.
Rules for keeping things and important numbers
First, here are the rules you need to know:
- There is an auction purse of ₹15 crore for each franchise.
- Before the auction, a team can keep up to five players.
Composition limits:Up to 3 capped Indian players (i.e., those who have played for India)
- Up to two players from other countries
- Two Indian players who haven’t played for their country yet
- If you want to keep all five players, at least one of them must be an Indian who hasn’t played in the IPL yet.
1 player ₹3.50 crore ₹11.50 crore
2 players ₹6.00 crore ₹9.00 crore
3 players ₹7.75 crore ₹7.25 crore
4 players ₹8.75 crore ₹6.25 crore
5 players ₹9.25 crore ₹5.75 crore
The Right-to-Match (RTM) card is being used for the first time in the WPL. This means that teams that let players go can match the highest bid in the auction to get them back.
These rules give teams a framework. They need to decide how much of their money to “lock in” through retentions and how much room to leave for the auction.
Strategic Effects on Franchises
The retention stage isn’t just about administration; it’s a strategic crossroads. Here are some of the most important things to think about:
Finding a balance between core and flexibility: If a team keeps 5 strong players, they are likely to lock in their core but also lower their auction purse by a lot (to ₹5.75 crore). That makes the bidding war less intense. On the other hand, fewer retentions mean more space at the auction, but they also mean a higher chance of losing important players.
Emerging talent vs. big names: Because all five franchises need at least one uncapped Indian player, they are being pushed to invest in domestic depth instead of just relying on star power from other countries. This fits with the bigger goal of growing women’s sports in India.
RTM cards and planning for the future: With the RTM option, teams might let players go now (to free up some money) with the idea of getting them back through an auction, if it’s worth it. That gives the auction a new level of strategy.
Team identity and momentum: Retaining players shows that a team wants to keep them, whether they did well in WPL 2025 or not. Should you stick with the winning core or make big changes and start over?
What to Watch: Likely Retentions and Predictions
Analysts have already made likely retention lists for each franchise, even though official lists are still not available at the time of writing. Here are some of the best parts:
Mumbai Indians Women (MIW): It makes sense to keep their best Indian and foreign players because they have won the title before. People have linked names like Harmanpreet Kaur (capped Indian), Nat Sciver-Brunt (overseas), and Amelia Kerr (overseas).
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women (RCBW): After winning their first title in 2024, it’s important to keep the momentum going. It’s likely that players like Smriti Mandhana, Ellyse Perry, and Richa Ghosh will be kept.
Delhi Capitals Women (DCW): A team with strong power-hitting openers, names like Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, and maybe Meg Lanning have been mentioned.
Gujarat Giants Women (GGW): They want to build a strong core of players, and they might keep Ashleigh Gardner and other domestic spin talent.
UP Warriorz Women (UPW): They have had mixed results, so they will probably focus on bringing in new Indian players along with important foreign signings like Sophie Ecclestone. These are just guesses; we are still waiting for the official announcements, and changes or surprises could happen at any time.
Why It Matters and What’s at Stake
For fans :Retentions show you who your team trusts. The familiar faces coming back give us a sense of continuity and emotional connection.
For players, being kept is a strong sign of trust. It means visibility and opportunity, especially for Indian players who don’t have caps.
For the league: The rules show how the WPL has changed over time, balancing the needs of global stars with those of domestic growth and making sure that all teams are on an equal playing field.
For the next auction: the results of the retention will affect the stories that will be told at the mega auction, which is set for late November 2025. Teams with less money left may have to play smart, while teams with more money may go for big moves.
Last Thoughts
The WPL 2026 retention window is more than just paperwork; it’s a strategic point. Because of fixed slabs, composition rules, the introduction of RTMs, and the high-stakes auction coming up, teams need to make smart choices. If you keep too many, you might miss out on the auction; if you keep too few, you might destabilize your core.
Stay connected to https://chakdebharat.com for more updates