Delhi Capitals appoint Ian Bell as assistant coach ahead of IPL 2026

Delhi Capitals (DC) have bolstered their coaching ranks ahead of the IPL 2026 season with the appointment of former England standout Ian Bell as assistant coach.

Ian Bell becomes Delhi Capitals assistant coach

The franchise confirmed the news through their official social media platforms on February 10, marking a major addition to their support staff. Although Bell has never been part of the IPL circuit previously, he brings a prestigious pedigree to the dugout, having been one of the most technical and accomplished batters of his era. Over his legendary international career, he earned 118 Test caps and featured in over 160 ODIs for England before retiring in 2020.

Since transitioning away from the pitch, Bell has developed a robust coaching portfolio across various levels of the sport. He has been a key figure in the England national pathway, mentoring emerging talent within the Lions and Under-19 programs. His recent high-profile stint as the batting coach for the Sri Lankan Test team during their 2024 tour of England further demonstrated his ability to work with international stars. This move to the Capitals represents his first official foray into the world's premier T20 league, where his technical expertise is expected to be a major asset for the Delhi hitters.

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Beyond his work with England, Bell has gained diverse international exposure, including a notable stint with the New Zealand men's team during their tour of England just before the 2023 ODI World Cup. His experience also extends into the fast-paced world of franchise cricket, having served as an assistant coach for the Birmingham Phoenix in the men's competition of The Hundred.

At Delhi Capitals, Bell joins a revamped coaching panel that features Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao, head coach Hemang Badani, and bowling coach Munaf Patel. He steps into the role previously held by Australian coach Matthew Mott, who served as an assistant during the 2025 season. This shift in leadership reflects a broader strategy to refine the team's support system as they transition into a new IPL cycle.

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The Capitals are looking to rebound from a 2025 campaign that saw them narrowly miss the playoffs, finishing fifth after a strong start fizzled out in the latter half of the tournament. By bringing in a coach of Bell’s caliber, the franchise aims to inject a fresh tactical perspective and provide seasoned mentorship to a squad now led by captain Axar Patel.

Delhi Capitals's full squad for IPL 2026:

Axar Patel, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, T. Natarajan, Tristan Stubbs, Auqib Nabi, Mukesh Kumar, Nitish Rana (traded in), Pathum Nissanka, Abishek Porel, Ashutosh Sharma, Ben Duckett, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Sameer Rizvi, Dushmantha Chameera, Prithvi Shaw, Karun Nair, Vipraj Nigam, Madhav Tiwari, Ajay Mandal, Tripurana Vijay, Sahil Parakh, Vihaan Malhotra, Kyle Jamieson