The recent Hundred 2024 draft saw only two Indian players making the cut for the upcoming season: star batters Smriti Mandhana and Richa Ghosh. Mandhana secured a spot with the Southern Brave, while Ghosh joined the Birmingham Phoenix for the Women’s Hundred 2024.
The draft’s top pick went to English cricketer Amy Jones, who opted for the Birmingham Phoenix after turning down a retention offer last month. Richa Ghosh, known for her role as a finisher, displayed impressive form, tallying 257 runs from 10 matches, including two half-centuries, and a striking strike-rate of 142. Meanwhile, Mandhana, the left-handed dynamo, showcased her prowess in the WPL, amassing 300 runs from 10 matches with two fifties.
Mandhana’s familiarity with the Braves’ setup, having previously worked with coach Luke Williams before his stint with RCB in the WPL 2024, likely played a role in her selection. On the other hand, Richa initially played for the London Spirit before joining the Phoenix for the Hundred. Despite the presence of notable Indian players like Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Shreyanka Patil, who registered for the draft, they remained unsigned.
Shreyanka Patil, in particular, had a stellar season in the WPL, emerging as the leading wicket-taker with 13 scalps from eight games for RCB. However, teams still have the opportunity to bolster their squads with one additional foreign player each through the Vitality Wild Cards.
The auction witnessed a high demand for Australian players, with notable names like Meg Lanning, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Lauren Cheatle, Jess Jonassen, and Sophie Molineux being snapped up by various teams.
