Gujarat Giants head coach Michael Klinger sees the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 season as a positive step for the team, despite ending with some unfinished business. The Gujarat Giants Women finished second in the points table, demonstrating significant improvement and consistency during the league phase, especially in tight matches.
The team achieved a clean sweep against UP Warriorz, broke a lengthy winless streak against Mumbai Indians, and secured two exciting last-over wins against Delhi Capitals. However, losses to Royal Challengers Bengaluru held them back from a stronger finish.
“Finishing second this year is a huge improvement. In both finals [Eliminators] from last year and this year, we didn’t play at our best. We discussed today that when we play close to our best, we can beat any team in this competition, but we didn’t do that in today’s match, in our batting and bowling,” Klinger said.
“This season has taught us a lot about our squad. Whether we won the final or not, we know where we need to improve for next year. We have time—around 10 months—to observe more Cricket, adjust our team, and come back stronger,” he added.
This season is a foundation, not a ceiling: Klinger
Klinger is optimistic about the Indian talent in the squad, stating that this season lays the groundwork for future growth. He stressed that the team would focus on building confidence and ambition, especially among younger players.
“Qualifying two years in a row is something many teams would prefer over going home early. We are content with that, but we aim for more. Though it didn’t work out this year, we’ll keep seeking stronger performance in the bigger games. It’s about players progressing. Anushka [Sharma] had a solid first season and now needs to believe in her potential to score over 300 runs in the WPL,” Klinger noted.
“She’s an excellent player and could potentially represent India before next year’s WPL. That International experience will benefit us. I believe Bharti [Fulmali] started well, but the conditions didn’t suit her later on. It’s really about creating the belief that they can dominate, just like many other Indian batters. We’ll also have Yastika [Bhatia] next year, assuming she is fit, which will add valuable depth,” he added.
Everyone should work on a few areas: Klinger
From a bowling standpoint, Klinger stressed the need for effort, balance, and identifying improvement areas. He pointed to their close victories against Delhi Capitals as evidence of the team’s fighting spirit. While he praised the fast bowlers, he highlighted the need for clearer strategies when the conditions change.
“The wins against Delhi showcased our fighting spirit, even in tough moments. We talk about that often. We have a big sign in our team room that says ‘fight’. We will discuss this with players, not immediately but gradually. Everyone will return to domestic cricket and can work on various aspects, whether for quick bowlers or spinners,” said Klinger.
“Our fast bowlers shone when the ball was swinging. Their next challenge is figuring out their strategy when the ball stops swinging. Happy Kumari is an outstanding young bowler. I heard she wasn’t picked for an upcoming domestic team, which is surprising given her talent. I hope she keeps getting chances because she’s special, and she’ll be back with us next year,” he added.
Klinger mentioned that specialist spinners Tanuja Kanwer and Rajeshwari Gayakwad had limited roles this season. Instead, the team relied more on all-rounders, which provided better balance and effectiveness.
“Our spinners didn’t bowl as much this year—TK [Tanuja Kanwer] and Raj [Rajeshwari Gayakwad]—due to our team makeup. We had several all-rounders like Ash [Gardner], Georgia [Wareham], and Sophie Devine. The impact of these all-rounders didn’t reflect on the spinners, just on how we balanced our overs,” Klinger concluded.
