Former Indian cricketers Hemang Badani and Venugopal Rao have joined the Delhi Capitals (DC) coaching staff as head coach and director of cricket, respectively, ahead of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the franchise announced on Thursday.
In an official statement, the franchise said, “Ahead of this year’s IPL mega auction, JSW-GMR co-owned Delhi Capitals have announced the appointment of their new coaching staff. Former India cricketers Hemang Badani and Venugopal Rao have joined the franchise as Head Coach (IPL) and Director of Cricket (IPL), respectively.”
Leadership Remarks
Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Chairman and Co-owner of Delhi Capitals, expressed his enthusiasm about the new appointments: “We are delighted to welcome Hemang and Venu to Delhi Capitals. Both have been an integral part of our team for a long time, and we are excited to have them on board in a different role. With their proven track record as coaches, we’re confident that their expertise will be invaluable in helping us achieve our objectives and drive success for Delhi Capitals.”
Badani also commented on his new role, saying, “My association with the franchise has been a long-standing one, and I am thankful for the trust our owners have placed in me by offering me this role. I look forward to this new challenge ahead of a new IPL cycle.”
Badani and Rao’s Commitment
Hemang Badani stated, “It is my absolute honour to be joining Delhi Capitals, and I am 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 cannot wait to get started.”
DC CEO Sunil Gupta welcomed the new coaching staff, noting, “Hemang and Venu have both been a part of the Capitals family and are well-versed with our philosophy. We are looking forward to working with them and achieving great things for Delhi Capitals.”
Background of the Coaches
Venugopal Rao, who has played 16 ODIs for India, was a member of the 2009 IPL-winning Deccan Chargers squad and played three seasons for the Delhi Daredevils from 2011 to 2013. He also served as a mentor in the inaugural season of the Dubai Capitals and later as Director of Cricket.
Badani, who has represented India in 4 Tests and 40 ODIs, brings a wealth of coaching experience to the role. He worked as a fielding coach for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL from 2021 to 2023 and served as a batting coach in successive seasons. He also coached the Jaffna Kings to two consecutive titles in the Lankan Premier League (LPL) and led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape to victory in the inaugural edition of the SA20. Most recently, he was the Head Coach of Dubai Capitals, guiding them to the ILT20 final this year.
In the previous season, Delhi Capitals narrowly missed the playoffs with a record of seven wins and seven losses, totaling 14 points. However, they reached their first-ever final in 2020.
Read More : New Zealand Dominates India on Day 2 of Opening Test
