The Delhi Capitals (DC) franchise has made it official! They have found a replacement for the outgoing Ricky Ponting in the form of Hemang Badani. Moreover, the IPL 2020 finalists have also appointed Venugopal Rao as the Director of Cricket.
Delhi Capitals: New coach, new DOC
Ahead of the upcoming IPL 2025 retentions, Delhi Capitals, co-owned by JSW-GMR, has re-shuffled its coaching staff with the appointments of Hemang Badani as Head Coach (IPL) and Venugopal Rao as Director of Cricket (IPL). It is something that we previously revealed as well. Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Chairman & Co-owner of Delhi Capitals, expressed his excitement about the new additions: “Hemang and Venu have been integral parts of our team for a long time. Their proven track records as coaches make them invaluable assets. We’re confident that their expertise will help us achieve great success.”
Rao, who has played for Deccan Chargers and Delhi Daredevils (former name of Delhi Capitals) in the IPL, expressed his gratitude and anticipation for the new role: “I’m excited to take on this challenge and contribute to the team’s success.” Badani, a former Indian Test and ODI cricketer shared his enthusiasm for joining Delhi Capitals: “It’s an honor to be part of this franchise. I look forward to working with the coaching staff and preparing the team for the upcoming season.”
Venugopal Rao has a strong coaching background, having served as a mentor and Director of Cricket for Dubai Capitals. Badani, on the other hand, has coached teams like Sunrisers Hyderabad and Jaffna Kings, and has experience in various roles including fielding coach, batting coach, and head coach.
