Delhi Capitals have strengthened their coaching setup ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season by appointing former England batter Ian Bell as assistant coach.
The franchise confirmed the development on Tuesday, marking Bell’s first official role in the IPL.
A veteran of 118 Tests and 161 ODIs, Bell brings significant international pedigree to the Delhi Capitals dressing room.
The former right-hander scored 7,727 Test runs, including 22 centuries, and was regarded as one of England’s most technically accomplished batters of his era.
Since retiring from professional cricket in 2020, Bell has steadily built his coaching résumé across international and franchise platforms.
Bell has worked closely with England’s Lions and Under-19 sides, focusing on player development and grooming emerging talent.
He also served as Sri Lanka’s batting coach during their 2024 tour of England, gaining valuable exposure in a high-pressure Test environment. In 2023, he briefly joined New Zealand’s support staff during their tour of England before the ODI World Cup.
His franchise experience includes a stint as assistant coach of Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred.
At Delhi Capitals, Bell will work under head coach Hemang Badani and alongside mentor Kevin Pietersen, director of cricket Venugopal Rao, and bowling coach Munaf Patel.
The move follows a backroom reshuffle after IPL 2025, where the Capitals narrowly missed the playoffs, finishing fifth in the standings.
Despite a promising start last season, Delhi Capitals lost momentum during the latter half of the campaign and fell short of a playoff berth by a single point.
The management’s decision to bring in Bell reflects a strategic effort to add fresh tactical insight and international experience to the squad as they continue their pursuit of a maiden IPL title.
Bell’s calm approach, technical expertise, and experience in mentoring young cricketers could prove crucial for Delhi’s evolving core.
With IPL 2026 approaching, the Capitals appear focused on refining their support structure to ensure greater consistency and stronger performances in key phases of the tournament.
