Renuka Singh reveals she wanted to quit RCB, says big money tag was a burden

Renuka Singh has revealed that she considered leaving Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) after struggling to play for the franchise in the Women’s Premier League (WPL). The Indian pacer said the pressure on her hefty price tag along with a string of poor performances took a toll on her during her early seasons with the two-time champions.

In 23 matches in three seasons for RCB, Renuka took 13 wickets at an economy rate of 8.34.

Her first season was particularly difficult as she managed just one wicket in six matches at an economy rate of 9.54. It was during this difficult phase that she approached captain Smriti Mandhan and told her that she did not want to play anymore as she was not fit to play. Interestingly, Smriti herself had a difficult season, averaging around 18 with the bat as RCB failed to progress past the first round.

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“I went to Smriti and told her, ‘Smriti, I don’t want to act anymore because I’m not able to perform.’ She immediately replied, ‘I’m not performing either.’ She said the same thing. I told her, ‘But I just can’t do it’,” said Renuka in an interview with Filmygyan.

‘HE NEVER GOT THAT MONEY’

Renuka was among the highest paid players in the inaugural WPL auction, with RCB securing her services for Rs 1.50 crore. The right-arm pacer admitted that the price tag brought an extra layer of pressure that made it difficult for her to cope with issues on the field.

“The team was also losing games so we didn’t really understand what was happening to us. It was the first ever WPL season and we were bought for such a huge amount of money. It brought a different kind of pressure.

“I mean, I’ve never been paid that kind of money before. It added pressure to think, ‘The team trusted me enough to spend so much money on me, but I’m not able to perform’.”

Renuka endured another difficult season in 2024, managing just two wickets from 10 matches. However, she bounced back strongly in the following edition, taking 10 wickets in seven matches to rediscover her form.

EXTRAORDINARY PRESSURE ON RCB THROUGH FOLLOWING FAN

Ahead of the 2026 mega auction, RCB released Renuka after which Gujarat Giants secured his services for Rs 60 crore. Temper said that while the team environment at Giants was not too different from RCB, playing for the Bengaluru franchise came with added pressure due to the large fan base.

“Actually, there is a bit more pressure at RCB because the fan following is so massive. I felt a bit of pressure there because two seasons with RCB didn’t go well. Obviously, when you don’t perform, you feel the pressure, especially because of the fans,” said Renuka.

“But it’s not like there’s a big difference at GG. RCB also had a very good environment. Like I said, that’s one of Smriti’s qualities – she knows how to create a positive atmosphere in the team. It’s the same at GG. The environment is really good.”

“At the end of the day, it’s about how you play and how you interact with people. That matters. Whichever team you play for, your job is to perform,” Renuka added.

Renuka picked up seven wickets in nine matches in her first season with Gujarat Giants. The franchise subsequently retained the Indian pacer before the recent auction in Kochi. Having found her rhythm again, Renuka will be hoping to carry that form into the upcoming edition and make a bigger impact for the Giants.

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