Former India cricketers Hemang Badani and Venugopal Rao have been appointed as head coach and director of cricket, respectively, as Delhi Capitals announced their new coaching staff ahead of the 2025 IPL on Thursday.
The 47-year-old Badani, who represented India in four Tests and 40 ODIs, brings a wealth of coaching experience from various leagues. He served as a fielding coach with Sunrisers Hyderabad from 2021 to 2023 and was the batting coach in successive seasons. Additionally, he led the Jaffna Kings to two consecutive titles in the Lankan Premier League and was a batting coach for the title-winning Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the inaugural SA20. Most recently, Badani was the head coach of Dubai Capitals, guiding them to the ILT20 final this year.
“It’s an absolute honour to be joining Delhi Capitals, and I’m deeply grateful to our owners for trusting me with this role,” Badani stated in a release. “With the mega auction approaching, my responsibilities, in collaboration with our coaching staff, are clear. I can’t wait to get started.”
Rao, who played 16 ODIs for India, was part of the Deccan Chargers squad that won the IPL in 2009. He also played three IPL seasons for the former Delhi Daredevils and has been associated with Dubai Capitals, serving as a mentor in the inaugural season and later as director of cricket.
“My association with the franchise has been long-standing, and I am thankful for the trust our owners have placed in me by offering me this role,” Rao said. “I look forward to this new challenge ahead of a new IPL cycle.”
The Capitals were runners-up in the 2021 edition but have struggled to break into the top four in the following three seasons.
“We are delighted to welcome Hemang and Venu to Delhi Capitals. Both have been integral to our team for a long time, and we’re excited to have them on board in different roles,” said Kiran Kumar Grandhi, chairman and co-owner of Delhi Capitals. “With their proven track record as coaches, we’re confident their expertise will be invaluable in helping us achieve our objectives and drive success for Delhi Capitals.”