Titas Sadhu Ruled Out of WPL 2026: Gujarat Giants Sign Jintimani Kalita as Injury Replacement

Gujarat Giants have suffered another setback in their troubled Women's Premier League 2026 campaign, with pacer Titas Sadhu officially ruled out due to injury. The franchise has moved swiftly to name seam-bowling allrounder Jintimani Kalita as her replacement.

A Season That Never Started for Sadhu

Despite being acquired for INR 30 lakh at November's mega auction, Sadhu failed to make a single appearance for the Giants this season. The right-arm pacer, who previously represented Delhi Capitals in seven matches over the last two seasons, has seen her career repeatedly disrupted by fitness concerns.

Recurring Injury Troubles

Sadhu's 2025 was marred by persistent injury issues that significantly limited her playing time across all formats. After featuring in India's home ODI series against Ireland in January 2025 and playing three WPL matches in February-March, the pacer's availability became increasingly sporadic.

She missed the crucial tri-series in Sri Lanka involving South Africa in April and was also unavailable for India's white-ball tour of England in July. Sadhu only returned to competitive cricket in August, earning selection across all three formats for the India A tour of Australia.

The 23-year-old has represented India in eight ODIs and 12 T20Is, showcasing her potential at the highest level when fit.

Kalita Joins as Replacement

Jintimani Kalita brings WPL experience to the Giants, having previously turned out for Mumbai Indians across the 2023 and 2025 seasons. In her 13 WPL appearances, the seam-bowling allrounder has claimed one wicket and contributed six runs with the bat.

While her numbers may appear modest, Kalita's versatility as both a seamer and lower-order batter could prove valuable for a struggling Giants outfit.

Giants' Playoff Hopes Hanging by a Thread

Gujarat Giants find themselves in a precarious position in the WPL 2026 standings. Currently bottom of the points table on net run-rate despite being level on points with four other teams, their campaign has derailed dramatically.

After an encouraging start with two consecutive victories, the Giants have slumped to three successive defeats. With only three league games remaining, every match has become a must-win encounter if they harbor any hopes of securing a playoff berth.

Looking Ahead

The addition of Kalita provides Gujarat Giants with a like-for-like replacement in terms of seam-bowling options. However, the loss of Sadhu's experience and international pedigree is undoubtedly a blow to their bowling attack.

For Sadhu, the focus will now shift to recovery and rehabilitation, with hopes of returning to full fitness for future assignments. Her injury-plagued run over the past 18 months will be a concern for both franchise and national selectors as they plan for upcoming tournaments.

The Giants will need their remaining squad members to step up significantly if they are to overturn their poor net run-rate and force their way into the playoffs in the season's final stretch.