Jhulan Goswami Reveals How Harmanpreet Kaur Shaped Mumbai's WPL Auction

Jhulan Goswami has shed light on the Mumbai Indians' thoughtful approach to the recent WPL mega auction. She credits the team's success to a strategy focused on continuity and retaining a strong core group of players. The bowling coach highlighted that captain Harmanpreet Kaur's input was the most crucial element throughout the entire auction process. Goswami also expressed delight at smart acquisitions like Amelia Kerr and the budget-friendly signing of Shabnim Ismail.

Key Points: Harmanpreet Kaur Crucial to Mumbai Indians WPL Auction Strategy

  • Jhulan Goswami emphasized retaining the core support group as key to MI's two WPL titles
  • Captain Harmanpreet Kaur's insights were deemed most important for auction planning
  • Amelia Kerr was a strategic buy for her all-round balance and proven performance
  • Securing Shabnim Ismail at a lower-than-expected price was a major budget success
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Harmanpreet's inputs were crucial in auction planning, says Jhulan Goswami

Jhulan Goswami explains Mumbai Indians' WPL auction plan, crediting captain Harmanpreet Kaur's vital input in retaining the team's championship-winning core.

"As Captain, Harman's inputs are always crucial during auction planning... Her inputs have been the most important part of the entire auction process. - Jhulan Goswami"

Mumbai, December 3

Mumbai Indians' (MI) bowling coach and mentor Jhulan Goswami explained the franchise's auction strategy at the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 mega auction that took place on November 27.

She highlighted the importance of maintaining continuity, making smart purchases and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur's vital contributions during the auction.

Mumbai Indians successfully reacquired several of their key players, including Amelia Kerr, Sajeevan Sajana, Saika Ishaque and Shabnim Ismail, after having released them earlier.

Speaking on JioHotstar, Jhulan said the team's auction strategy focused on retaining their core group of players, which has been key to winning two championships in the past three years.

"The important thing for us was to retain our strong support group of players. That's how we've won two championships in the last three years. That was the basic plan, nothing more," she said.

Jhulan Goswami said that Captain Harmanpreet Kaur's input was crucial during the auction, helping retain the team's core, with the coaching staff supporting her decisions both on and off the field.

Notably, under Harmanpreet's captaincy, MI won the inaugural WPL 2023 edition and then won their second in 2025 as well.

"As Captain, Harman's inputs are always crucial during auction planning. At the end of the day, she leads this team and has been incredibly successful. Her inputs have been the most important part of the entire auction process. Our job is to support her on and off the field. Having her at the auction table was a huge advantage, her thoughts mattered deeply, and they helped us retain the core of this team," the former Indian pacer said.

Jhulan further said Amelia Kerr and Shabnim Ismail were excellent acquisitions, providing balance and experience.

"Amelia Kerr was a great buy. She gives us so much, variation, volume and balance. Over the last three years, she has performed exceptionally well in the tournament, and as an all-rounder, she is very important. Along with her, Shabnim Ismail was another excellent buy. We didn't expect to get Shabnim at such a low price. So, from a budget perspective, our planning worked well. It was a pleasant surprise because we thought she would go for a much higher amount," Jhulan added.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
Getting Shabnim Ismail at a low price is a masterstroke! Shows how good their auction planning was. Budget management is so crucial in these leagues. MI's backroom team, along with Harman, seems to have nailed it again.
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Aman W
Respectfully, while I appreciate the strategy, I hope they are also looking at fresh Indian talent. The core is important, but the WPL should also be about discovering new stars from our domestic circuit. Balance is key.
S
Sarah B
Amelia Kerr is such a fantastic all-rounder. She's a match-winner on her day. Retaining that core group of players who understand the MI culture is a smart, championship-winning move. Can't wait for the next season!
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Vikram M
Jhulan Goswami's calm and experienced presence in the dressing room must be a huge asset. Her understanding of the game, combined with Harman's aggressive captaincy, makes for a perfect leadership group. MI is the team to beat!
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Kriti O
So happy to see Sajana and Saika being brought back! They are our local heroes. It's great that the franchise values the players who have performed for them. This builds tremendous loyalty. Well done, MI! 🇮🇳

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