“I’m not against teams having foreign coaches, but don’t rule us out” - Delhi Capitals’ newest member makes strong statement ahead of IPL 2025
Delhi Capitals (DC) head coach Hemang Badani has called for more Indian coaches in the IPL ahead of the 2025 season. Badani was appointed DC's head coach in the off-season after the franchise parted ways with former Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
Ponting was at the helm of the franchise for seven years, helping them qualify for the final for the first time in 2020. However, DC missed the playoffs in each of the last three seasons from 2022 to 2024.
Talking about the importance of having Indian coaches in the IPL, Badani said [quoted by Indian Express]:
"When you have only foreign coaches, invariably one of them is going to win it. I’m not against teams having foreign coaches, but don’t rule us out. Only if we compete with them will you know whether it is possible to win the title. Ashish (Nehra) won in 2022 when he was the lone Indian coach around. Last year, (Chandrakant) Pandit showed he can do it as well."
He added:
"Out of 25 players in the IPL, 16 are Indian players and it is these players who play a big role in your success. They come from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Given the tournament is so short, one would rather prefer a local coach who understands and connects with these players better, but we haven’t seen enough Indian coaches at all."
Badani has been among the most successful coaches around the globe, with Dubai Capitals (sister franchise of Delhi Capitals) recently winning their maiden title in the ILT20. He has also been the head coach of the Chepauk Super Gillies in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) since its inception in 2016, helping the side to four titles.
"First win the trust of the players and make them buy into the story" - Hemang Badani
Hemang Badani acknowledged that his first task as DC's head coach would be to make the players buy into his strategies and structure. DC has been among the most underachieving franchises in IPL history, with a lone final appearance and no titles in 17 seasons.
"I’ve to first win the trust of the players and make them buy into the story. There is no coach who would say there is a set pattern. My role is to empower the player by giving him as much information and from there on, they take the field. And in a tournament like IPL, you have to be realistic… you have to be prepared to lose some games. If you have a success rate of 60-70 percent, it is enough to win the trophy," said Badani (as per the aforementioned source):
DC let go of their iconic player over the years, Rishabh Pant, ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. However, they made several shrewd moves at the auction, including acquiring veteran wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul.
The franchise is yet to announce its captain for the 2025 season, with Rahul and Axar Patel being the leading candidates.