 "Former India captain Sourav Ganguly had joined Delhi Capitals in 2019 as an advisor before getting the role of Director of Cricket. PTI")
Former India cricketers Hemang Badani and Venugopal Rao were included in the Delhi Capitals support staff as head coach and Director of Cricket respectively, the franchise announced on Thursday. While Badani succeeds former Australia captain Ricky Ponting in the role of head coach, with the latter joining Punjab Kings after seven seasons with the Capitals, Rao succeeds ex-India captain Sourav Ganguly as Director of Cricket.
Ganguly had on the same day been promoted to the role Director of Cricket at JSW Sports, as a reslt of which he will be spearheading all of the organisation’s cricketing properties.
Read | Rishabh Pant likely to remain at Delhi Capitals: Report
DC also underwent a restructuring in terms of management on Thursday with co-owners JSW Sports and GMR Group entering an operational understanding to manage multiple teams with the Capitals franchise on a rotational basis.
Badani set for biggest role of coaching career
Former India middle order batter Badani, who played four Tests and 40 ODIs between 2000 and 2004, had previously served as head coach of the Chepauk Super Gillies in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL), helping them win three titles and had also served as fielding coach.
The former Tamil Nadu captain also worked alongside Brian Lara at Sunrisers Hyderabad, where had joined as fielding coach as well as scout between 2021 and 2023. He has also served as an assistant coach for Sunrisers Eastern Cape in SA20 and a coaching consultant for Jaffna Kings in the Lanka Premier League.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe 47-year-old had also coached the Dubai Capitals to the ILT20 final this year.
Badani, however, is set for his biggest role as a coach yet after being named Delhi Capitals head coach.
“It’s my absolute honour to be joining Delhi Capitals, and I’m 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 can’t wait to get started,” Badani said in a release shared by the Capitals on Thursday.
Venugopal Rao, who represented the Men in Blue in 16 ODIs between 2005 and 2006, reflected on his long association with the franchise. The former middle-order batter had played three seasons for the Delhi Capitals (then Daredevils) between 2011 and 2013 and was also part of the Dubai Capitals support staff, as mentor in one season and Director of Cricket in the other.
“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,” said Rao. “I look forward to this new challenge ahead of a new IPL cycle.”
“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’re 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,” said Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Chairman & Co-owner, Delhi Capitals.
‘Dada’ earns a promotion
In his new role as Director of Cricket for JSW Sports, former Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ganguly will spearhead all cricketing properties owned by the group, including the Delhi Capitals Men’s IPL and Women’s WPL teams, and the Pretoria Capitals that plays in the SA20 League in South Africa.
JSW Sports founder Parth Jindal and Ganguly have always shared a strong bond, and the appointment is an extension of their personal and professional relationship. Ganguly joined Delhi Capitals in 2019 as an advisor, where he worked alongside coach Ricky Ponting, and later continued with the Capitals as Director of Cricket.
Speaking on the appointment, Jindal said, “Dada has always had a special place at JSW Sports. For us, he is family first and then the cricketing icon that he is. I’ve said this in the past and it stands true even today – he is one of the sharpest brains in cricket and we will always stand to benefit from his guidance and wisdom of the sport. I am both humbled and delighted that Dada will now head all things cricket for JSW Sports in his role as Director.”
Speaking on his new role, Ganguly said, “I’ve had the pleasure of knowing the JSW Group and the Jindal family personally and professionally which made this an easy decision. JSW Sports has been doing visionary work across the board, and I am pleased to be able to lend my experience to all its cricketing projects.”
JSW, GMR arrive at an understanding
GMR Group and JSW Group, on Thursday, announced that it would be distributing the running of cricketing operations of the Delhi Capitals IPL (Men) and the Delhi Capitals WPL (Women) teams between the two ownership groups on a two-year rotational basis. The strategic move aims at optimizing operational efficiency across teams within the ownership umbrella of the Delhi Capitals franchise.
The understanding will see GMR Group drive cricketing operations of the Delhi Capitals Men’s team for the next two years, during which JSW Sports will steer operations of the Delhi Capitals Women’s team. The roles will switch when JSW Sports takes over the running of the Men’s team in 2027. The business operations of the franchise, however, will continue to be run by the Delhi Capitals’ management team.
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.
Read | Delhi Capitals co-owners GMR acquires Hampshire, the first county with overseas ownership
GMR Group was one of the founder franchises of IPL in 2008 with the team “Delhi Daredevils”. In 2018, JSW Sports and GMR Group entered a 50:50 partnership to co-own the IPL franchise and rebranded the team as Delhi Capitals. Since 2008, Delhi Capitals have participated in every edition, reaching the semi-final in the first 2 seasons, and making the play-offs on multiple other occasions. In 2019, the team registered its best-ever finish, ending the season as second runners-up. The Capitals went one better in 2020, making the final of the IPL for the first time in the franchise’s history.
The women’s team, which was acquired in 2023, has made it to the final of both editions of the Women’s Premier League thus far.
In addition to the Indian Men’s and Women’s IPL teams, the Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 League will continue to be run by GMR Group and the Pretoria Capitals in the SA20 South African league will be run by JSW Sports.