UP Warriors head coach Abhishek Nayar It opened the franchise’s bold decision to release the Prime Minister of India Deepti Sharma earlier than expected Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 mega auction. The move surprised many fans and pundits, especially after the Player of the Tournament performed in ODI’s last ODI World Cup Victory ODI World Cup Victory.
The star all-rounder has been one of the pillars of the Warriorz setup since the league’s inception. However, the franchise has decided to undergo a major restructuring, spreading several key names to approach the Mega auction with greater financial freedom and strategic flexibility.
A gutsy recovery for the Warriorz
The top-flight side, who reached the play-offs in the inaugural edition of the WPL, have opted to undergo a complete revamp for the 2026 season. From the previous team, only young people Shweta Sehrawat kept from unopened Indian category.
Among the released players are foreign stalwarts Alyssa syllableSophie Ecclestone, Grace Harris, Tahlia McGrathand Alana Kingalong with Indian names like deepti and Kranti is blocked. The decision reflects a clear intention from management to rebuild the management team from scratch and aim for a more balanced merger during the upcoming auction.
Abhishek Nayar sheds light on the tough call
Talkative jiostar, Coach Abhishek admitted that dropping proven performers like Deepti was one of the toughest decisions for the franchise. However, he stressed that the move is part of a larger strategy to create a nimble and competitive bundle ahead of the mega auction.
“When it comes to admissions, it’s always difficult because you’re dealing with world-class players and leaders. The idea from the franchise was to have more money in the purse and build a team that can go all the way.” Nayar explained.
Nayar could then look to bring back some of the Warriors’ free agent stars if the opportunity arises during the auction.
“We wanted to make sure we had enough resources to get the players we believed in that we could win the championship – and hopefully replicate some of that in the auction.” he added.
Deepti’s price tag and market value is a factor
Deepti’s high market value could also be a major factor behind her release, though Nayar refrained from directly mentioning it. The upcoming auction, which is Mega, is expected to witness aggressive bidding for marquee Indian players.
Deepti who was previously retained by Warriorz INR 2.6 croreslikely to attract strong interest from multiple franchises, this time commanding a higher figure.
With his recent exploits on the international stage, franchises will see him as one of the most sought-after all-rounders in the auction pool. For the Up Warriorz, releasing him could be a strategic gamble – allowing him to enter at a more competitive price that allows him to re-enter the race to sign at a more competitive price while opening up options for other marquee names.
Read: WPL 2026 Catch: Full list of players kept ahead of women’s premier league mega auction
This article was originally published WomenCricket.coma Cricket era Company.
