New Delhi, Jan 19 (IANS) India’s seam-bowling all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar is set to link up with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) after arriving in Vadodara on Monday. Pooja has been out of competitive action since late 2024 due to a shoulder injury requiring surgery in 2025.

She had been undergoing rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru and was to link up with RCB ahead of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026. But two days before her release, she unfortunately picked up a hamstring injury and had to spend more time at CoE for total recovery.

That injury led to the highly-rated Pooja, 26, missing the Navi Mumbai leg of WPL 2026. “Pooja has reached Vadodara after receiving clearance from the CoE. Though she was initially scheduled to join RCB tomorrow, she will now link up with the team immediately after their ongoing game against Gujarat Giants is over and remain with them for the rest of their WPL 2026 campaign,” sources told IANS on Monday.

Pooja was bought by the 2024 winner RCB for Rs 85 lakh in last year’s mega auction held in New Delhi, after not being retained by defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI). Despite being one of the feisty all-rounders in the game, Pooja’s career has been hampered by a string of fitness issues, including anterior cruciate ligament problems and a recurring knee injury.

Pooja has featured in 72 T20Is for India, picking 58 wickets at an economy rate of 6.39, with best figures of 4-13. She has also contributed 332 runs with the bat in T20Is. In the WPL, Pooja has played 16 matches for MI, picking seven wickets and scoring 126 runs, and was a member of their 2023 title-winning campaign.

Pooja’s availability for the rest of the WPL is expected to strengthen RCB’s in-form bowling unit, especially with the 2024 champions on the verge of being the first team to qualify for the ongoing season’s playoffs.

--IANS

nr/bsk/