Delhi Capitals are enhancing their support team for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 by hiring former England cricketer Ian Bell as their new assistant coach. The franchise announced this on Tuesday, marking Bell’s entry into the IPL.
Bell, seen as one of England’s top batters, brings valuable experience despite being new to the IPL. In his career, he played 118 Tests, 161 ODIs, and eight T20 internationals before retiring in 2020. Since then, he has been working on his coaching skills at various levels.
After retiring, Bell has been actively involved with England’s Lions and Under-19 teams, contributing to player development and scouting. He also served as batting coach for Sri Lanka’s Test team during their 2024 tour of England, which provided him with important International experience.
In addition, Bell has held coaching roles with other international teams, including a short period with New Zealand ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup. He also gained experience in franchise Cricket by helping Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred.
Ian Bell Joins Delhi Capitals for IPL 2026
At Delhi Capitals, Bell will work under Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao, alongside head coach Hemang Badani and bowling coach Munaf Patel. His appointment comes after a reshuffle, replacing Australian coach Matthew Mott, who was the assistant coach in the 2025 season.
The Capitals had an uneven IPL 2025 season, starting strong but ultimately finishing fifth in the standings, narrowly missing the playoffs. Bell’s addition reflects the franchise’s goal of bringing in new ideas and expertise as they prepare for a stronger performance in IPL 2026.
