Hemang Badani Leading the Race to Become Delhi Capitals Head Coach, World Cup-Winning Star Set to Join Support Staff

Hemang Badani is currently leading the race to become the new head coach of Delhi Capitals following the exit of Ricky Ponting. Badani, who has previously served as a fielding coach and scout for Sunrisers Hyderabad, is now poised to take on the top coaching role in the upcoming season. Additionally, former 2011 World Cup-winning cricketer Munaf Patel is also in the running to join Delhi's support staff, further strengthening the team's coaching lineup.

According to a report in a news agency PTI, DC are looking to appoint home-grown coaches and not in the mood to appoint another foreign head coach after Ricky Ponting. Badani and Munaf are currently leading the race, with the latter being considered for the bowling coach role.

"DC management is looking at quality home-grown coaches and Hemang and Munaf's names have cropped up. A final decision is yet to be taken but in case of Munaf, it could be bowling coach's job," an IPL source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

On Badani's name coming up as the head coach, it could be a case of change of management for the next two years where GMR, one of the co-owners, the other being JSW, would be running the show.

The two co-owners are believed to have an agreement on micro-managing the team for two years each at a time.

Badani has played 40 ODIs and four Tests for India but has not played any T20I. Meanwhile, an ODI hundred against Australia during the epic 2001 bilateral series was the highlight of his career.

Delhi Capitals have not won an IPL title since the tournament's inception and reached the final only once, in 2020. If Badani gets the big job, he will be under immense pressure to end their title drought.

The IPL Players' retention deadline is also around the corner and the report further suggested that the Capitals are considering retaining only three players - skipper Rishabh Pant (18 crore), all-rounder Axar Patel ( ₹14 crore) and left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav ( ₹11 crore).

Since five retentions would cost ₹75 crore, it is believed that Jake-Fraser McGurk, last year's breakaway star, and South African Tristan Stubbs, two of their major foreign contributors, could be picked with the Right To Match (RTM) cards if their price tags are within the team's budget.