New Delhi, Oct 5 (IANS) Delhi Capitals have officially parted ways with their existing coaching group ahead of the 2027 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, by making an announcement through their social media accounts.
Under GMR, who were at the helm for the 2025 and 2026 seasons as per an operational agreement signed with co-owners JSW in 2024, DC had former India player Hemang Badani as their head coach, alongside director of cricket Venugopal Rao, bowling coach Munaf Patel, assistant coach Ian Bell and fielding coach John Mooney.
“A special coaching group, and some very special memories. Thanks for everything, Tigers,” Delhi Capitals posted on ‘X’ and Instagram accounts on Monday. The announcement comes on the back of operational control now transitioning to JSW Sports for the 2027 and 2028 IPL cycles.
“Yes, the term of the Badani-led coaching group is over. In a day or two, the new Delhi Capitals coaches for the IPL 2027 season will be officially announced,” said a source to IANS on Monday. As previously reported on September 14, Yuvraj Singh, Amit Mishra and Chaminda Vaas are expected to join the new-look DC coaching staff.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, currently serving as JSW’s Director of Cricket, is expected to take over as head coach, though it remains to be seen if he will be hit by the Conflict-of-Interest clause as he also serves as President of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).
In 2019, when he was CAB President before crossing over to become BCCI President, Ganguly was the team advisor for DC in the IPL. At that time, Ganguly had stated that his position as CAB President was purely honorary and he couldn’t influence anything in the IPL.
Ganguly worked as head coach of Pretoria Capitals in SA20 earlier this year, which marked his maiden foray as a coach, and was also involved with the DC side in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
Yuvraj, who’s won World Cups for India in ODIs and T20Is, is set to step into his maiden formal cricket coaching role as DC’s batting coach. Yuvraj has been a hands-on mentor to Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Prabhsimran Singh, as well as worked with Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson intermittently.
Vaas, the Sri Lankan fast bowling legend, and Mishra, the former India leg-spinner who was a prolific wicket-taker in the IPL, are slated to join the franchise as fast and spin bowling coaches. Vaas has worked in a coaching capacity with the Sri Lanka men’s team many times and with the SLC academy. He also worked with New Zealand and Ireland teams in a consulting capacity, as well as held coaching roles in various franchise leagues.
For Mishra, it will be his first coaching stint after announcing his retirement from all forms of cricket last year. Ganguly, Yuvraj and Mishra were present at DC’s trials and off-season camp at the Just Cricket Ground in Bengaluru in August. In September, Yuvraj, Mishra and Vaas were present at another camp and trials held at a ground in Aerocity, New Delhi.
The impending backroom revamp comes after a marquee trade deal saw former captain Rishabh Pant return to Delhi Capitals from Lucknow Super Giants in exchange for left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Delhi Capitals, currently captained by Axar Patel, finished sixth in IPL 2026 and are still in pursuit of winning a maiden IPL title.
–IANS
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