One of the major surprises at the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 auction was the fact that Australia’s Alyssa Healy did not sell. The wicketkeeper-batter was the first name pulled from the eight-player marquee list when the auction began in New Delhi, but she attracted no bids. At the time, it looked like clubs were holding back, focussing on other targets with the goal of returning to Healy in the expedited round.
However, after the expedited round began, no franchise named her on their wishlist, so her name did not appear again in the auction. Following the event, Anya Shrubsole, assistant coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Abhishek Nayar, head coach of UP Warriorz (UPW), explained why they did not pursue the Australian skipper.
“Alyssa Healy going unsold was surprising for different reasons. When you’re allowed only four overseas players [in the XI], your options are limited, and many teams prefer allrounders in their set-up. It’s a tough situation for someone of her stature,” Nayar was quoted as saying by.
“We have a very strong top order, and Georgia Voll gives us some offspin as well. With Richa Ghosh [as a wicketkeeper-batter] in the top five, going for Healy didn’t make sense for us,” Shrubsole expressed.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Batty, head coach of Delhi Capitals (DC), confirmed that Healy was part of their discussions, but the decision ultimately came down to maintaining squad flexibility.
Alyssa Healy entered the auction with a base price of INR 50 lakh after being released by the UP Warriorz (UPW), who had earlier signed her for INR 70 lakh for the first two seasons.
A foot injury sidelined her during the previous edition, but she has an impressive record in the WPL with 428 runs in 17 matches, averaging 26.75 at a strike rate of 130.48. She is currently featuring for the Sydney Sixers in the WBBL and recently struck consecutive ODI World Cup centuries against India and Bangladesh.
Despite a perceived lack of demand for opening batters or potential captains, wicketkeepers were certainly sought after. Gujarat Giants (GG) retained Beth Mooney and also picked up Yastika Bhatia, currently recovering from injury, for INR 50 lakh. Delhi Capitals (DC) secured Lizelle Lee and Taniyaa Bhatia for a combined INR 60 lakh, while UP opted for the inexperienced Shipra Giri as their lone keeper for INR 10 lakh. Mumbai Indians (MI) retained G Kamalini, and RCB continued with Richa Ghosh.
Several notable overseas players also went unsold, including England’s Heather Knight and Alice Capsey, Australia’s Alana King, Amanda-Jade Wellington, and Darcie Brown, along with Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu. The highest-paid overseas signing of the auction was Amelia Kerr, bought by Mumbai Indians for a massive INR 3.00 crore. She was followed by Sophie Devine, who went to Gujarat Giants for INR 2 crore, and Meg Lanning, acquired by UP Warriorz for INR 1.90 crore.
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