India all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar will remain sidelined for at least two more weeks after suffering a hamstring injury, ruling her out of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) early Women’s Premier League 2026 fixtures.
The 26-year-old pace-bowling allrounder from Madhya Pradesh was expected to play a key role for RCB, who signed her for ₹85 lakh. However, she missed the team’s campaign opener against the Mumbai Indians and will continue rehabilitation at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
RCB head coach Malolan Rangarajan confirmed the setback after the side’s thrilling three-wicket win over defending champions MI. “Pooja Vastrakar is not available for selection. Two days prior to her release from the Centre of Excellence, she unfortunately tweaked her hamstring. It’s going to take two weeks more,” he said.
Vastrakar has battled multiple injuries in recent years, including ACL issues, recurring knee trouble, and a major shoulder surgery in 2024. Once considered a successor to Jhulan Goswami and Shikha Pandey, her fitness struggles have kept her out of crucial tournaments for India.
Despite the setback, RCB remain optimistic about her return later in the season. The team will look to manage workloads carefully as they aim for consistency in the WPL 2026 campaign.
