Hemang Badani Appointed Delhi Capitals Head Coach for IPL 2025, Venugopal Rao Named Director of Cricket
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Former India batter Hemang Badani has been named the new head coach of the Delhi Capitals (DC) for the 2025 IPL season, replacing Ricky Ponting, who recently parted ways with the franchise after seven successful years. Alongside Badani, former India batter Venugopal Rao has been appointed as the franchise's new director of cricket, a position previously held by Sourav Ganguly.
The appointments are part of a broader overhaul of the DC coaching staff and structure, as the franchise looks to revamp its operations following a series of seasons without an IPL title. DC has also opted not to renew the contract of Pravin Amre, who served as assistant coach and talent scout since 2014.
Hemang Badani, who played four Tests and 40 ODIs for India, brings with him a wealth of coaching experience from both domestic and international T20 circuits. After his playing career, he became head coach of the Chepauk Super Gillies, guiding them to four Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) titles, and played a crucial role in developing young talents such as R Sai Kishore. Badani has also been part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) coaching staff in the IPL, and has enjoyed success in overseas T20 leagues, including stints with the Sunrisers Eastern Cape, winners of the inaugural SA20, and Jaffna Kings, champions of the Lanka Premier League.
On his new role with Delhi Capitals, Badani expressed excitement about the challenge. "With the mega auction around the corner, my job, in collaboration with the rest of our coaching staff, is cut out," he said in a statement. "I can't wait to get started."
Venugopal Rao, who played 16 ODIs for India between 2005 and 2006, will take over as director of cricket for DC. He was a member of the Deccan Chargers' IPL-winning squad in 2009 and has held key positions in the Dubai Capitals, first as mentor and later as director of cricket.
As part of the broader restructuring, the DC franchise's co-owners, GMR Group and JSW Sports, will swap leadership roles for the IPL and WPL teams every two years. For the next two IPL seasons, the GMR Group will lead operations for the men's team, while JSW Sports will take charge of the women's team. Consequently, Ganguly will move to the WPL side as director of cricket for the next two years, returning to the men's IPL setup in 2027.
The franchise emphasized that key decisions, including auctions, captaincy, and player retentions, will be made jointly by the senior leadership of both groups.
With Badani’s proven success in nurturing young talent and Rao’s experience in strategic leadership, Delhi Capitals is set to enter the next IPL season with a renewed focus on clinching their first-ever title.
Key Appointments:
- Head Coach: Hemang Badani
- Director of Cricket: Venugopal Rao
Outgoing Personnel:
- Former Head Coach: Ricky Ponting
- Former Director of Cricket: Sourav Ganguly