In a major turn of events, Yastika Bhatia has been officially declared unfit to participate in the WPL 2026, thus dealing a blow to the Gujarat Giants, who had otherwise a bright start to the season. On January 10, the franchise confirmed her non-participation which marked the end of weeks of speculation about her being available.
The wicketkeeper-batter is still undergoing rehabilitation following the ACL surgery she had in October of the previous year. Although she won’t be seen playing this season, Bhatia has been a part of the Giants squad in Navi Mumbai offering her support to the team from the audience.
Yastika Bhatia ruled out of WPL 2026; no replacement will be allowed
Cricbuzz had reported that Bhatia’s surgery had cast a shadow over her participation, and the official announcement now deprives her of any chance of even a late entry. The head coach of Gujarat Giants, Michael Klinger, wished her a quick recovery and showed confidence in her coming back even stronger next season.
Regarding the question of whether the Gujarat Giants will be able to acquire a replacement player, the BCCI had already given warning to the teams about Yastika Bhatia’s unavailability before the WPL 2026 auction. So, the Gujarat Giants will not be allowed to get a replacement player even though they have spent INR 50 lakh to buy her services.
Bhatia’s non-appearance adds to the increasing number of Indian players who have been ruled out this season due to different reasons. UP Warriorz’s Pratika Rawal also had some fitness issues but a team still invested in her. In contrast, RCB’s Pooja Vastrakar has been ruled out for a minimum of two weeks because of a hamstring injury.
Setback notwithstanding, Gujarat Giants are flying high at the onset of WPL 2026 as they have triumphed in their first two matches, one of which is a nail-biting last-over victory against Delhi Capitals, courtesy of Sophie Devine’s all-round excellence.
The Giants, who are currently leading the points table, are next up against Mumbai Indians and will be trying to break the ice with a victory over the reigning champions in WPL history. The team is on a confidence high after winning their last two matches. Therefore, the upcoming match is a great chance for them to add yet another feather to their impressive start to the season.