New Delhi, Oct 18: Former India cricketers Hemang Badani and Venugopal Rao have joined the Delhi Capitals as head coach and Director of cricket, respectively, ahead of IPL 2025 season.Earlier on Thursday, various sources confirmed to IANS about Badani and Rao joining the franchiseās coaching staff as they pivot towards an all-Indian coaching staff. The overhaul in DCās support staff comes with the side not having any IPL title since its inception in 2008.
Badani represented India in four Tests and 40 ODIs, and now replaces Ricky Ponting, who left after seven years, in the top role at DC. He previously worked with Sunrisers Hyderabad from IPL 2021-2023 seasons as a fielding coach and a batting coach in successive seasons.
Badani, who represented Tamil Nadu in domestic cricket, comes with an impressive coaching record in T20 cricket – leading the Jaffna Kings franchise to two consecutive Lankan Premier League titles, and being the head coach of Chepauk Super Gillies winning the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) four times.
Badani also worked as a batting coach with the title wining Sunrisers Eastern Cape side in the inaugural edition of the SA20, and was head coach of the Dubai Capitals side that reached this yearās ILT20 final.
āItās my absolute honour to be joining Delhi Capitals, and Iām deeply grateful to our owners for trusting me with the job. With the mega auction around the corner, my job, in collaboration with the rest of our coaching staff, is cut out. I canāt wait to get started,ā said Badani.
On the other hand, Venugopal, who also holds Director of Cricket position at GMR Sports, co-owners of Delhi Capitals, played 16 ODIs for India. He was a part of the 2009 IPL winning squad with Deccan Chargers, and represented DC from 2011 to 2013. At DC, he will take the role previously held by former India captain Sourav Ganguly.
Like Badani, he has also been part of Dubai Capitals as a mentor in the inaugural season and Director of Cricket in the next year, apart from the duo being together in coaching staff of Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket (MLC) in USA.
āItās my absolute honour to be joining Delhi Capitals, and Iām deeply grateful to our owners for trusting me with the job. With the mega auction around the corner, my job, in collaboration with the rest of our coaching staff, is cut out. I canāt wait to get started,ā said Rao.