Delhi Capitals have strengthened their support staff ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 by appointing former England cricketer ian bell As his new assistant coach. The franchise confirmed the appointment on Tuesday, which is Bell's first involvement in the IPL in any capacity.
One of England's most accomplished batsmen of his generation, Bell has a wealth of experience despite never having been a part of an IPL setup before. During his illustrious career, he represented England in 118 Tests, 161 ODIs and eight T20 Internationals before retiring from professional cricket in 2020. His transition into coaching has been equally impressive, with his reputation continuing to grow at many levels of the game.
Since retiring, the right-handed batsman has worked extensively with the England Lions and Under-19 teams, making significant contributions to player development and talent identification. He also served as the batting coach for the Sri Lankan Test team during their 2024 tour of England, which brought him further international prominence.
Additionally, Bell has done coaching work with other international teams, including a short stint with the New Zealand men's team during their tour of England ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup. In franchise cricket, he gained experience in The Hundred while assisting Birmingham Phoenix in the men's competition.
At Delhi Capitals, Bell will join a coaching group led by director of cricket Venugopal Rao, working with head coach Hemang Badani and bowling coach Munaf Patel. His appointment follows a reshuffle of the backroom staff, with Australian coach Matthew Mott taking over as assistant coach during the 2025 season.
The Capitals have had a mixed IPL 2025 campaign, having started strongly but lost momentum and finished fifth on the points table, missing out on a playoff spot. Bell's arrival signals the franchise's intention to bring in fresh perspectives and additional expertise to help the team bounce back and strengthen its challenge in the IPL 2026 season.
Get every cricket update! Follow us: :
Leave a Reply