Kohli highlights WPL’s role in advancing Indian women’s cricket talent

In an appearance on the RCB podcast, the former India captain reflected on the notable progress in women’s cricket, crediting the WPL with accelerating the development of young Indian players by regularly exposing them to high-pressure matches alongside some of the world’s top cricketers.

“I saw WPL in the past as well. But this time around, you look at the turnout of fans. There’s a cricketer in me that can say, I can see the difference. But when the public starts seeing the difference, that’s when you know the game has changed to a different degree,” Kohli stated.

He emphasized the enthusiastic support witnessed during the tournament, saying, “When they played in Baroda. Stadiums were packed. You look at Navi Mumbai. I mean, packed. I was like, man, this is amazing. When they played in Bangalore, phenomenal turnout.”

Kohli noted that the growing fan engagement reflects a new phase in Indian women’s cricket, where spectators attend not just out of curiosity but because of the high quality and excitement of the competition.

He also pointed to the rapid improvement in skill levels among young Indian cricketers, citing their fearless style and power-hitting capabilities. “The standard is going higher and higher. These younger players coming in, you know, they’re faster. They’re more explosive. They’re more confident of executing their skills, of going for big shots. You look at talents like Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh,” he said.

Kohli recalled his initial impression of Shafali Verma’s power-hitting during the Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia, describing it as remarkable. “It was the T20 World Cup in Australia, where we were playing as well. Shafali was batting in Perth, and she was hitting the ball in the stands. I was like, this is unreal. Like, the kind of power and the confidence,” he said.

He also praised Richa Ghosh’s finishing skills, comparing her to elite power-hitters in world cricket. “And Richa as well. It’s like any top-tier finisher or explosive batter in the game. I’m not just confining it to women’s cricket. But the ability you can see is shining through,” Kohli added.

According to Kohli, the most significant benefit of the WPL is the consistent exposure Indian players now have against top international opponents in intense, high-pressure situations. “So, there are some amazing rays of standards that are happening in Indian cricket. And predominantly, I would say, a large contribution of that is the exposure to WPL,” he said.

Kohli explained that previously, Indian players had long intervals between international series to test themselves against overseas stars, but the WPL now provides such opportunities almost every game. “You see the direct effects of WPL. The players share experiences with other global players. And the confidence of executing your plans, your abilities, your skills against those world-class players on a more regular basis. Rather than waiting for a series to series,” he stated.

He added, “You play with probably three players from South Africa, New Zealand, Australia on the same team. You probably have to wait for over six months to be able to face them. But now, you’re getting to face them in one game. In one high-pressure game.”

Kohli stressed that such conditions accelerate player development by constantly challenging cricketers under pressure against the highest quality opposition. “So, the progress is much faster. Because it’s a compressed package of the best quality players in the world under high-pressure circumstances. Of course, it’s going to bring the best out of players. And bring the ones that can handle pressure and have the skill up to the surface much faster,” he said.

He concluded by affirming that players emerging from franchise leagues such as the WPL and IPL arrive at the international level much better prepared. “So, when people get selected from WPL or IPL, they feel like ready products,” Kohli said.