By Admin 
WPL 2026: Gujarat Giants have suffered a big loss just before the start of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026. There are only a few hours left for the tournament to start, but before that the team’s star wicketkeeper-batsman Yastika Bhatia is out of the entire season. This news is also a matter of concern for Gujarat Giants because Yastika is counted among the important Indian players of the team.
Injury prevented comeback
Yastika Bhatia has been suffering from a knee injury for a long time. Due to this injury, she could not be a part of the Indian team in the series against Australia and the recent ODI World Cup. Gujarat Giants included him in their camp for Rs 50 lakh in the WPL auction. However, even at the time of the auction she was not completely fit. The team hoped that she would recover by the time the season started, but that did not happen.
Replacement will not be allowed
According to the old rules of BCCI, if a player is injured before the auction, then permission is not given to replace him with a new player. For this reason, Gujarat Giants will not be able to include any other player in the team in place of Yastika Bhatia. This rule applies not only to Gujarat but also to other teams. If RCB’s Pooja Vastrakar and UP Warriors’ Pratima Rawat are not fit on time, then their teams may also have to face the same situation.
Team’s emotional message
Gujarat Giants shared an emotional video on social media after confirming that Yastika would be out of action for the entire season. In this video, many players and support staff of the team were seen praying for Yastika’s speedy recovery. The team expressed hope that she will be seen in the Giants jersey again in the coming season.
Gujarat still away from the title
Gujarat Giants’ journey in WPL has not been easy so far. The team has not won a single title so far. In the first two seasons, Gujarat stood last in the points table, whereas in the last season the team reached third place. Their campaign in 2025 ended with a defeat in the eliminator match against Mumbai Indians women’s team. Gujarat Giants is once again entering the fourth season with new expectations.