The Delhi Capitals (DC) have officially appointed former England batting stalwart Ian Bell as their new assistant coach for the IPL 2026 season. Announced on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, Bell joins a franchise looking to rebuild after narrowly missing the playoffs in the previous edition.
The 43-year-old takes over the role from Matthew Mott, following a 2025 campaign where the Capitals finished fifth in the standings, missing the top four by just a single point. This marks Bell’s first official coaching role in the Indian Premier League.
Delhi Capitals Support Staff 2026
The franchise has undergone a significant overhaul of its backroom staff as it enters the new IPL cycle. Bell joins an elite group of international and domestic experts:
| Position | Name |
| Director of Cricket | Venugopal Rao |
| Head Coach | Hemang Badani |
| Assistant Coach | Ian Bell |
| Team Mentor | Kevin Pietersen |
| Bowling Coach | Munaf Patel |
Ian Bell’s Coaching Pedigree
While new to the IPL, Bell brings a wealth of international playing and coaching experience:
- International Career: 118 Tests and 161 ODIs for England, including five Ashes series wins.
- National Pathway: Previously coached the England Lions and England Under-19 squads.
- Global Experience: Served as a consultant for New Zealand during the 2023 World Cup and as batting coach for Sri Lanka during their 2024 tour of England.
- Franchise Cricket: Assistant coach roles with Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred and involvement in the Big Bash League.
Context: The 2025 Season Recap
The 2025 season was one of “what ifs” for Delhi. Under the captaincy of Axar Patel, they secured 7 wins from 14 matches, finishing with 15 points. Despite a strong start and stellar individual performances—most notably KL Rahul’s 539 runs and Kuldeep Yadav’s 15 wickets—they were the final team eliminated from playoff contention after a late-season loss to Mumbai Indians.
