GG's strongest playing XI for WPL 2026 ft. Ashleigh Gardner

Gujarat Giants are the weakest team on paper in WPL 2026.

After finishing last in the first two seasons, Gujarat Giants finally made some improvement last year, qualifying for the playoffs. They had one of the biggest purses entering the WPL 2026 auction, having retained Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney ahead of the auction.

GG managed to buy back some of their uncapped talent, but made some questionable buys. As a result, some major weaknesses have emerged in their playing XI, which we will discuss in this article.

Strongest playing XI of Gujarat Giants for WPL 2026-

Top Order – Beth Mooney (WK), Sophie Devine, Yastika Bhatia

A run-machine at the top of the order, Beth Mooney was the Gujarat Giants‘ retention pick. The Australian icon had a stellar season last year and will be hoping to do even better this time around. Mooney is also expected to don the gloves, and GG will hope she delivers big knocks and anchors the ship.

Sophie Devine was bought for a hefty price of 2 crore. This was unexpected, but the price tag can be justified by her all-rounder skills, a talent hard to find in the women’s game. The 36-year-old Devine will have to prove her mettle not only with the bat at the top of the order, but also with the ball.

Yastika Bhatia makes a shift from MI to GG, but it remains to be seen if she will regain fitness ahead of the competition.

Middle Order and Lower Order – Ashleigh Gardner (C), P. L. Fulmali, Kanika Ahuja, Georgia Wareham

Ashleigh Gardner is one of the most valuable players in the competition. Her ability to consistently deliver and score quick runs by striking the ball to different parts of the ground makes her a rare commodity.

With her off-spin, which is extremely effective, Gardner will have to carry the bulk of the responsibilities, like she did last season.

The captain will be followed by the inexperienced yet highly talented Indian duo of P. L. Fulmali and Kanika Ahuja. Both have had promising starts to their careers, but it remains to be seen how they respond to the pressures of closing out games.

Australia’s Georgia Wareham is a handy lower-order batter, and her sharp leg-spinning acumen made her heavily sought after at the auctions, as she went for 1 crore.

Bowling Attack – Tanuja Kanwar, Kashvee Gautam, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh Thakur

Tanuja Kanwar’s slow left-arm orthodox bowling and Kashvee Gautam’s consistent line and length make GG’s bowling exciting. On the other hand, Renuka Singh Thakur’s experience during powerplays, alongside Rajeshwari Gayakwad in the middle overs, completes the bowling.

However, there is a clear over-reliance on Indian youngsters in the bowling department. If they rise to the occasion and deliver consistently for GG, it would not only benefit the franchise but also bode well for India’s future.

However, this approach may not always work when facing high-quality batsmen in the league. The absence of an overseas premier fast bowler stands out, highlighting a potential weakness in the squad’s composition.

Gujarat Giants’ playing XI-

Beth Mooney (WK), Sophie Devine, Yastika Bhatia, Ashleigh Gardner (C), P. L. Fulmali, Kanika Ahuja, Georgia Wareham, Tanuja Kanwar, Kashvee Gautam, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh Thakur.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.