5 Indians you didn’t know played the IPL with Australia coach Andrew McDonald ft. Virat Kohli
Having initially worked as Justin Langer’s assistant, Andrew McDonald currently serves as the head coach of the Australian men’s cricket team. After Langer stepped down on February 5, 2022, McDonald was appointed as interim head coach and was later confirmed as the full-time coach on April 13, 2022.
Since taking charge, he has steered Australia to impressive achievements, including triumphs in the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) and the 2023 ODI World Cup. Under his guidance, they are battling South Africa in the ongoing 2025 WTC final at Lord’s in England, with hopes of adding another prestigious trophy to their collection.
As a player, the 44-year-old represented Australia in four Test matches, scoring 107 runs, including a half-century, and claiming nine wickets. He featured in the Indian Premier League (IPL) between 2009 and 2013, turning out for the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
McDonald played three seasons for Delhi, from 2009 to 2011, appearing in six matches and scoring 76 runs at an average of 38.00 and a strike rate of 120.63. With the ball, he picked up five wickets at an average of 36.60 and an economy rate of 9.63.
He was part of the RCB squad for two seasons (2012 and 2013), during which he made five appearances, scoring 47 runs in four innings at an average of 15.67 and a strike rate of 127.03. He also claimed six wickets in four innings at an impressive average of 13.00 and an economy rate of 6.50.
Overall, Andrew McDonald featured in 11 IPL matches, scoring 123 runs in nine innings at an average of 24.60 and a strike rate of 123.00, while taking 11 wickets at an average of 23.72 and an economy rate of 8.41.
Let's look at five Indian players who once shared the IPL stage with Australia’s current head coach, Andrew McDonald.
5 Indians you didn’t know played the IPL with Australia coach Andrew McDonald
#5 Dinesh Karthik
Former Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik, who recently won the IPL 2025 title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as their batting coach, shared the dressing room with Andrew McDonald for the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
In the 2009 season, Karthik played 15 matches for the Capitals, scoring 288 runs at an average of 36.00 and a strike rate of 132.71, which included a half-century. The following year, the wicketkeeper-batter featured in 14 games, scoring 278 runs at an average of 21.38 and a strike rate of 117.29, again registering one fifty.
Meanwhile, McDonald had a limited role for Delhi. In 2009, he played just one match, scoring three runs and going wicketless. In the 2010 season, he appeared in four games, scored 65 runs in three innings at a strike rate of 125.00, and picked up five wickets.
#4 Cheteshwar Pujara
Indian Test stalwart Cheteshwar Pujara and Andrew McDonald shared the dressing room for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) during the 2012 and 2013 IPL seasons. In 2012, Pujara featured in three matches and scored 17 runs. The following year, he played four matches and accumulated 92 runs, including a half-century.
Meanwhile, McDonald played four games for RCB in the 2012 season, scoring 47 runs across three innings and picking up five wickets. In 2013, he made a solitary appearance, went without scoring, and claimed one wicket.
#3 Gautam Gambhir
Current India head coach Gautam Gambhir also shared the dressing room with Andrew McDonald during the 2009 and 2010 seasons for the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals).
In the 2009 season, Gambhir played 15 matches, scoring 286 runs at an average of 22.00 and a strike rate of 102.87, with one half-century. In the 2010 edition, the left-hander accumulated 272 runs in 10 innings across 11 matches, averaging 30.77 with a strike rate of 127.64, including two fifties.
#2 KL Rahul
KL Rahul is another player who was part of the same squad as Andrew McDonald at RCB during the 2013 season. It was Rahul’s maiden IPL season, in which he played five matches but could score only 20 runs in two innings, averaging 10.00 with a strike rate of 125.00.
#1 Virat Kohli
Veteran Indian batter Virat Kohli shared the same team with current Australia head coach Andrew McDonald for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru during the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
In 2012, Kohli played 16 matches, scoring 364 runs in 15 innings at an average of 28.00 and a strike rate of 111.65, including two fifties. In the 2013 season, he featured in 16 games and amassed 634 runs at an impressive average of 45.28 and a strike rate of 138.73, notching up six half-centuries.