New Delhi: Former India all-rounder Hemang Badani has emerged as a surprise candidate to take up the head coach role at the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Delhi Capitals.
According to an IPL source, Badani is the front-runner to become the chief coach of DC, while ex-pacer Munaf Patel is likely to get a role in the support staff of the franchise.
DC are on the hunt for a head coach after parting ways with Australian Ricky Ponting a few weeks ago. Ponting who had been associated with the franchise since 2018, left the job owing to his availability issues.
“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.
DC rest hopes on Badanai
Having worked with Brian Lara in Sunrisers Hyderabad, Badani has experience of coaching in IPL but if he gets the DC job, it will be the first full-fledged coaching job for the former left-hander.
Hailing from Tamil Nadu, Badani played four Tests and 40 ODIs between 2001-2004 with an ODI century against Australia during the 2001 bilateral series being the biggest highlight of his short career.
If he gets appointed, Badani faces the daunting task of guiding DC to its first-ever IPL title. The Delhi franchise has reached only one final (in 2020), when the team lost to Mumbai Indians in the final.
Pant, Axar, Kuldeep 3 likely retentions
Meanwhile, the Capitals are likely to choose three retentions ahead of the mega-auction with captain Rishabh Pant (Rs 18 crore), all-rounder Axar Patel (Rs 14 crore) and left-arm chinaman Kuldeep Yadav (Rs 11 crore) emerging as possible candidates.
Since five retentions would burn a massive hole of 75 crore in DC’s pocket, Aussie youngster Jake-Fraser McGurk and South African batter Tristan Stubbs, two of their major overseas contributors could be selected with the Right To Match (RTM) cards.
