WPL 2026: Why did Chinelle Henry & Arundhati Reddy miss DC vs RCB clash?

Chinelle Henry and Arundhati Reddy the missed the DC vs RCB clash in WPL 2026, leaving fans confused.

The DC vs RCB clash marks the end of the first leg of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026. This underlines the importance of every match as the league stage enters a decisive phase. With points becoming increasingly crucial, both teams were forced into changes that caught attention, particularly the absence of Chinelle Henry and Arundhati Reddy from the playing XIs.

The contrasting situations of the two teams added further context to these changes. RCB entered the match unbeaten and comfortably placed at the top of the WPL 2026 points table. Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, were struggling at the bottom with just one win as they search for consistency and momentum in the tournament.

Why did Arundhati Reddy miss DC vs RCB clash in WPL 2026?

RCB captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and opted to bowl first in the DC vs RCB encounter. However, the eyes turned after she announced the changes. This change was not tactical but enforced. Regular seamer Arundhati Reddy was ruled out after falling ill, compelling the team management to bring in Sayali Satghare as a replacement. Mandhana made it clear that player well-being took precedence over combinations, even at such a critical stage of the tournament.

“We’d like to field first today. We have three changes today. [Georgia] Voll comes in for Linsey [Smith], Prema [Rawat] comes in for [Dayalan] Hemalatha, while Arundhati [Reddy] is unwell, so Sayali [Satghare] comes in,” said Mandhana at the toss.

Alongside Reddy’s absence, RCB also made two tactical switches, with Georgia Voll replacing Linsey Smith and Prema Rawat coming in for Dayalan Hemalatha, as the unbeaten side looked to maintain bowling depth while chasing conditions.

WPL 2026: Why did Chinelle Henry miss DC vs RCB clash?

On the Delhi Capitals side, Chinelle Henry was the notable absentee. DC skipper Jemimah Rodrigues confirmed that the West Indies all-rounder picked up an injury in the previous match. With the tournament still in its early but crucial phase, the management decided against risking Henry, choosing caution over continuity.

“We have one change. Henry is out due to an injury from the last game, and we have Lucy Hamilton coming in her place and debuting tonight. We played together for the Brisbane Heat. She’s a youngster. She’s also led the Australia Under-19 team,” said Rodrigues.

Henry’s absence opened the door for Lucy Hamilton, who made her WPL debut in the high-pressure encounter. Rodrigues expressed confidence in the young Australian, highlighting her leadership credentials and prior experience of playing together, which helped ease the transition.

With the tournament 2nd phase starting in Vadodara from January 19, all teams will be gearing up for Race-to-Playoffs. With so much tactical and enforced changes in the DC vs RCB match, it remains to see how the teams use their squad depth.

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