Southern Brave have appointed Hemang Badani as head coach of their men's team for the upcoming season of The Hundred, with former England all-rounder Ian Bell serving as his deputy. The move strengthens a coaching partnership that was recently forged at Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where Badani was promoted to head coach last season and Bell joined as his assistant.

The connection between the franchises runs deep — GMR Group, the owners of Delhi Capitals, acquired a 49% stake in Southern Brave in July last year. This strategic alliance has now facilitated a unified coaching approach across their global T20 ventures. Badani, who has extensive experience in franchise cricket, has also held coaching roles with GMR-owned teams in other leagues, including the Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket (MLC) and Dubai Capitals in the International League T20 (ILT20).

Under Badani’s leadership, Delhi Capitals began the previous IPL season strongly but ultimately missed out on a playoff berth. His appointment at Southern Brave marks an effort to bring consistency and tactical acumen to a side that has seen fluctuating fortunes in recent years.

On the other hand, Ian Bell adds valuable local and international expertise to the setup. A seasoned campaigner from his playing days, Bell has transitioned smoothly into coaching, having worked with England’s U19 and Lions teams. In 2024, he served as the batting coach for Sri Lanka during their Test tour of England. He also held a short-term role with the New Zealand men’s team ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup and previously worked as assistant coach at Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred.

Southern Brave were crowned champions in the inaugural edition of the Men’s Hundred in 2021 and repeated their strong performance by finishing as runners-up in 2024. However, their form dipped in the most recent season, losing half of their matches and failing to reach the knockout stages. With the new coaching duo in place, the franchise will be eager to reclaim their status as title contenders.