Captain Devine extends break, missing pro series in March
Sophie Devine announced her extended break from cricket. The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) called upon Heather Graham to replace the 35-year-old New Zealand all-rounder in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025.
Devine’s national team, the White Ferns, has yet to decide on a replacement for the white ball series against Sri Lanka in March. The new squad lineup, including which player will captain the team in 2025, will be declared in the last week of February.
Reason for Sophie Devine’s absence
Liz Green, head of the women’s high performance in New Zealand Cricket, stated that they are fully supportive of her withdrawal. She further added ‘Well-being is our highest priority and it’s important Sophie feels fit and well before returning to professional cricket’. The New Zealand skipper has been away from the sport since January 2025 due to well-being issues.
Sophie Devine’s teammates ruled out of the upcoming series
In other news, Sophie Devine is not the only person missing in RCB’s lineup for the upcoming WPL tournaments. Here are other key players missing due to injuries:
- Sophie Molineux
Sophie Molineux was ruled out of the WPL on 16th January 2025 because of a knee injury that required surgery. She has suffered through it between October to November in the Women’s Big Bash League, leading as the captain of Melbourne Renegades to the title. The Australian left-arm spinner finally pulled out for the WPL 2025 where Charlie Dean is called in her place.
- Kate Cross
English bowler Kate Cross suffered from a back spasm, causing her to miss the Test match against South Africa in December 2024. She prioritises taking the time to rehab her injuries so she’s also ruled out for the first The Women’s Ashes and the WPL 2025 season. RCB has signed Heather Graham and Kim Garth to replace her and Sophie Devine this season.
- Asha Shobhana
RCB star player Asha Shobhana was also ruled out of the WPL 2025 due to an injury sustained from a bowling warm-up. Radha Yadav was announced on X (formerly Twitter) to replace her in October 2024. Her injury persisted for months, forcing her to opt out of this season as well.
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