Delhi Capitals (DC) assistant coach Ian Bell praised KL Rahul ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. The former England national cricket team batsman described Rahul as a classy player and expressed his excitement over the opportunity to see the Indian cricketer up close.
DC will start their upcoming IPL campaign on April 1 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Captain Axar Patel will lead the Capitals against former franchise skipper Rishabh Pant in Lucknow. The Delhi team is aiming to secure a place in the playoffs after missing qualification by a narrow margin last season.
KL Rahul is a classy player – Ian Bell
Ian Bell recently discussed his upcoming coaching responsibilities for the Delhi Capitals franchise. The former England cricketer expressed his intense professional attraction towards KL Rahul during the tournament.
“He’s a classy player. I’m excited to see him up close,” Bale said as quoted by The Guardian.
During IPL 2025, KL Rahul enjoyed a fantastic first season representing Delhi Capitals. The 33-year-old batsman scored 539 runs in 13 matches at an impressive strike rate of 149.72. However, Rahul continued to bat in the opening and middle order throughout the season.
I don’t think technology is the first thing – Ian Bell
The Delhi Capitals assistant coach opened up about his personal coaching philosophy. Bell stressed that significant changes in batting technique are unnecessary when working with experienced international franchise players during the short domestic tournament window.
“Unlike a county or international setup, where you have more time. I don’t think technique is the first thing you go over with international players. And I don’t teach players to bat like I do. In my view, a good way to work with players is to help them find the best version of themselves.”
I’ve built a great relationship with… – Ian Bell
Ian Bell had previously won the Dubai Capitals Championship title with head coach Hemang Badani and director Venugopal Rao. Bell said he earned his coaching role through a fair process and not because of personal relationships.
“I have built a good relationship with Hemang [director of cricket] Venugopal Rao in those other roles. But it was a fair process. It certainly wasn’t given to me because, you know, being friends… or friends of friends. I could probably shout more about my coaching but it’s not really in my nature. I just tried to keep my head down and earn my stripes.
Delhi Capitals missed the playoffs by a narrow margin last season and finished fifth with seven wins from 14 matches. Despite building a strong squad over the years, they have failed to reach the knockout stage in the last four seasons, adding to the pressure ahead of IPL 2026.
For the first phase of the tournament, DC has to play four matches. The team will be determined to break their playoff drought and win the title this season. Their best performance was the 2020 final, where they lost to Mumbai Indians.
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