Kolkata : Former Indian Cricketer Hemang Badani is set to take over as head coach of IPL franchise Delhi Capitals from IPL 2025. Meanwhile, Sourav Ganguly is reportedly to switch focus and coaching roles in WPL and SA20.
While Badani is set to be the head coach replacing Aussie legend Ricky Ponting, his former team mate and former Delhi Capitals player Venugopal Rao is set to take over as Director of Cricket for the team, replacing former Indian legendary captain Sourav Ganguly.
Both appointments are part of the decision taken by the DC ownership to overhaul the coaching staff and the overall running structure of the franchise which has never won the IPL. The franchise has also decided not to renew the contract with Praveen Amre, who served as assistant coach and talent scout since 2014.
As part of the restructuring, the co-owners of DC – GMR Group and JSW Sports – will swap the operational leadership roles every two years for their teams in the IPL and the WPL. Consequently, Ganguly will take over as director of cricket for the franchise in the WPL for the next two seasons (2025 and 2026). Ganguly will switch to the IPL from the 2027 season when JSW Sports will be back in charge.
In a media statement on Thursday, the franchise said, “key decisions like auctions, captaincy, player release and retentions of both teams will be made by the Delhi Capitals’ board, and will be decided mutually by senior leadership of both groups.”
Therefore, for next 2 seasons, Ganguly will serve as Director of Cricket in Delhi Capitals franchise of WPL and Pretoria Capitals in SA20 & won’t be directly involved in IPL.
Both Venugopal and Badani have been involved in franchise subsidiaries in various leagues like ILT20 & MLC, in Dubai Capitals and Seattle Orcas respectively.
With the new coaching staffs, Delhi can have a fresh start to turn around their fortunes.
