Klinger eyes title and 'individual growth' for Gujarat Giants

Gujarat Giants may have registered the least number of wins in the first cycle of the Women's Premier League (2023-2025), but five of its players went on to play for the national team after making their debuts in the competition. Michael Klinger, the head coach of Giants, is hopeful of his players ending the season as better cricketers even though the first priority is to win the tournament.

After having won only two games in each of the first two seasons, Giants secured their maiden playoffs berth last year. However, they couldn't make it to the final. Klinger believes, the momentum is a thing of the past and the team will have restart all over again.

"Qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in WPL history was a fantastic achievement for Gujarat, but this season is a fresh start," Klinger said on Friday, a day ahead of their tournament opener. "Every team begins on an even playing field, and starting well is important as it helps build confidence within the group.

"We're here to win the competition, but we're also here to enjoy the journey and focus on player development. Over the next month, our aim is that every player finishes this tournament as a better cricketer than when they arrived. From the way the group has trained over the last four or five days, I have no doubt it will be a successful season, both in terms of results and individual growth."

With several players having shaped up well, the mega auctions threw off a bit of their development but also gave an opportunity to bring the balance of their side at par with the rest of the teams. Their most high-profile acquisitions include the all-round duo of New Zealand's Sophie Devine and Australia's Georgia Wareham, to go with the retention of skipper Ash Gardner and the return of Kim Garth.

"We're going to have some selection headaches when it comes to picking our best XI, and that's always a good thing," Klinger said. "We've got genuine depth and plenty of options, particularly because of the number of high-quality all-rounders in the squad. When we looked at the most successful teams over the last few seasons, one common factor was the presence of strong all-rounders.

"Bringing in players like Sophie Devine, and Kim Garth as a bowling all-rounder, has strengthened us further. With six overseas players, choosing the four to start the season will be challenging because they're all high-quality cricketers, but it's a problem we're very happy to have," he added.

However, Giants' concerns continue with their limited depth in Indian batting. Wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia, the most experienced of the Indian batters picked in the squad, is unlikely to feature this season, and the overseas batters will have to take the load yet again.

Klinger backs the domestic talents to come good this season as well for Giants. "From a batting perspective, we've brought in some exciting young talent. Anushka Sharma had an excellent domestic season, while Ayushi Soni has a bit more experience and has played some very good cricket for Delhi. Titas [Sadhu] has already represented India, which adds valuable exposure to the group.

"Happy [Kumari] brings genuine raw pace, something you don't see too often in the women's game, while Bharti [Fulmali], though slightly more experienced than the others, offers real quality and power. Shivani also adds depth as a batter and can double up as a wicketkeeper. Overall, we're in a strong position, and the WPL will give them opportunities to step up at different stages of the tournament," he concluded.

Giants are set to kickstart their campaign on Saturday with an afternoon game against UP Warriorz. The Warriorz, who had finished at the bottom of the points table last season, have picked Meg Lanning, the former captain of Delhi Capitals who had led the side to three consecutive finals, at the mega-auction to lead them this season.

Capitals aim to go 'one better' in 2026

Delhi Capitals will face defending champions Mumbai Indians in the evening game on Saturday, to kickstart their WPL 2026 campaign under the captaincy of Jemimah Rodrigues. With a new leader at the helm, following the departure of Lanning, Capitals are hoping for a positive start.

They will be without the services of all-rounder Annabel Sutherland who is set to miss this season after being retained by the side. Her absence impacts their balance significantly with both bat and ball, but head coach Jonathan Batty is confident that they are ready to take on the challenge following an intense pre-season camp in Goa.

"It's really nice to have a lot of familiar faces back in the squad from the last few years, and at the same time, it's been great to bring in some fresh faces who add a new dynamic to the team," said Jonathan Batty on the eve of their first match.

He further added, "It's been a fantastic preparation period. The camp in Goa allowed us to combine team-building activities with high-quality training sessions. There's been some really good cricket on display, and as we head into the tournament phase, everything feels really positive and we're raring to go."

Having fallen short thrice in the finals, the aim is obvious: to lift the cup this season. "I think we've got a really balanced squad. What excites me is building on the experience and quality we retained going into the auction, complemented by some high-quality recruitment. We're obviously looking to go one better than in the last few years," he added.