Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the reigning 2024 Women’s Premier League (WPL) champions, have made a significant alteration in their team management as they gear up for the upcoming season. The team, which secured their first WPL title last year under the stewardship of Luke Williams, has now appointed Malolan Rangarajan as the new head coach.
Williams, a former cricketer from South Australia, guided RCB to their inaugural WPL title during his second season with the team. Malolan Rangarajan, who served as his assistant for the last two seasons, will now assume the role of head coach.
Rangarajan, a player who has represented Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand in domestic cricket, has been an essential figure within RCB across both the men’s and women’s squads. His extensive experience working alongside distinguished coaches and players such as Sanjay Bangar, Mike Hesson, Simon Katich, Andy Flower, and Dinesh Karthik is deemed invaluable as the franchise embarks on a new phase.
In a statement issued by the franchise, Rangarajan expressed his enthusiasm for the new role and outlined his vision for the upcoming season. “I am thrilled and honored to be appointed as the head coach of the women’s team. I want to acknowledge Luke’s contribution that led to RCB’s 2024 title win. The upcoming mega auction poses an exciting challenge, allowing us to shape the squad’s next phase while considering a strong core for retentions,” he stated.
Furthermore, Rangarajan emphasized his strong rapport with Smriti Mandhana and the coaching staff over the past three years, expressing his eagerness to continue working together to deliver success to RCB supporters.
RCB retained only four players leading up to the WPL 2025 mega auction, opting to release several notable names including Georgia Wareham, Renuka Singh, Kim Garth, Kate Cross, Sophie Molineux, and Asha Sobhana. Anticipated to make bold moves during the auction, the franchise aims to rebuild around a new core under Rangarajan’s leadership.
In another significant development, RCB has appointed former England fast bowler Anya Shrubsole as the new bowling coach. Shrubsole, a two-time World Cup winner and celebrated pacer for England, retired from international cricket in 2022 after claiming 227 wickets across formats. Her iconic performance in the 2017 World Cup final against India at Lord’s, where she took 6 for 46, remains one of the most memorable moments in women’s cricket history.
With a revamped coaching staff and crucial auction on the horizon, RCB is poised to capitalize on their championship triumph and strengthen their pursuit of consecutive WPL titles.