For Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the 2026 Girls’s Premier League (WPL) season has been a showcase of depth, with completely different gamers stepping up when the crew wanted it most.
In its fifth fixture towards Gujarat Giants, it was 27-year-old Gautami Naik’s flip to shine. Wielding the bat in solely her second match in WPL, she smashed an excellent 73 off 55 balls, that includes seven fours and a six, whereas putting at over 130.
She stitched essential partnerships — 60 runs with Smriti Mandhana and 69 with Richa Ghosh — to assist RCB get better from a poor begin. As soon as previous the early jitters, Gautami used her tall body and exact strokeplay to say management, showcasing the composure and confidence of a well-versed participant.
A world-class teammate
Sharing the crease along with her skipper, Smriti, was particularly important. The 2 had beforehand opened collectively for Ratnagiri Jets within the Girls’s Maharashtra Premier League (WMPL), a formative second for Gautami in 2025.
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“I received to study a lot from her, like her decision-making below stress, and the way she manages tough conditions. From the non-striker’s finish, she would say, ‘You may play this shot energy, play to your strengths’ and simply information me,” Gautami recalled in an interplay.
“My first partnership was very memorable for me as a result of I used to be opening with a world-class batter and was capable of watch her bat up shut. I used to be simply amazed by nearly each shot she performed. It was a extremely good expertise,” she stated.
Gautami’s first WPL cap, solely 4 matches in the past, was a second years within the making. “It was an exquisite feeling to know that my dream goes to be fulfilled as a result of I’ve been working laborious for all these items for therefore a few years,” she stated.
The achievement displays an extended journey via the evolving panorama of home ladies’s cricket, marked by daring strikes and relentless refinement of her expertise.
Forging her path
Although she began as a pacer, Gautami was drawn to batting, significantly hard-hitting. “I used to go to my coach and would say, ‘I don’t need to bowl. I simply need to bat.’ That’s when he stated we’ll begin growing my batting.
“I’ve labored so laborious day-after-day to good each shot. I might assume, ‘How can I do it higher?’ I favored hard-hitting, and that’s my recreation of taking part in aggressively. We might select a particular space I’ve to develop, a sure shot and work on that facet on a selected day. Quickly, these enhancements started to indicate,” she stated.
Alternatives in Maharashtra’s senior crew have been restricted, prompting Gautami to take the highway much less travelled. A good friend advised she strive taking part in for Nagaland as a visitor participant — an opportunity to realize expertise and play common cricket.
The transfer was eye-opening: cricket within the North-east was nonetheless growing, and Gautami embraced the problem, specializing in health, talent improvement, and match consciousness.
It was right here {that a} coach observed her peak and potential for off-spin. “I used to be bowling and located I had 3–4 good variations. The coach was stunned that I used to be bowling off-spin so effectively. He requested me to proceed it within the subsequent match. I ended up taking 4 wickets. Since then, I turned an off-spinner,” she stated.
Breaking new floor
Her performances in Nagaland led to her expertise being showcased at a WMPL exhibition match, the place her knock caught the attention of former India cricketer Kiran Extra. He invited her for trials with the Mumbai Indians after which advised she strive Baroda to realize extra alternatives.
“He requested me if I used to be involved in taking part in for Baroda. I spoke to my coach, and we determined to make the transfer. I used to be given the opening slot and discovered the way to enhance my recreation, mindset and the way to plan my innings as an opener,” stated Gautami.
After two seasons with Baroda, she returned to Maharashtra, bringing her expertise and type along with her. Her home exploits — significantly within the WMPL 2025, the place she scored 173 runs over six innings to complete because the third-highest scorer — caught the eyes of RCB scouts and finally led to her WPL choice.
Wanting forward, Gautami’s targets are clear. “If I communicate individually, my goal is to make runs for my crew in any given state of affairs. I need to make a great assertion and present that the home gamers have additionally come right here with a powerful strategy and mindset.”
However the larger image stays intact for the match-winner. “My greatest objective is to win as many matches for RCB as potential. My final objective is to win the trophy”.
Revealed on Jan 20, 2026