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IPL coaches' potpourri: Mahela, Sanga, Hayden bring in varied styles, reminiscent of the way they played their cricket
IPL coaches get much less credit than they deserve. They are actually the power behind the throne, and their teams reflect them greatly on most counts.
It's been almost two weeks since the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) kicked off in Bengaluru. The teams that have stood out so far are Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings, the latter two the finalists from 2025. They all have been unbeaten so far.
Anyway, what we are discussing here is some of the interesting head coaches of the IPL teams. A head coach, given he is completely in charge, which comes from not having a larger-than-life captain, often dictates how a team plays. In many ways, it's their signatures that their respective teams wear.
All of them are former cricketers, so more often than not, they coach just the way they played their cricket. Take, for example, Gautam Gambhir, who was feisty in his playing days and a proven knock-out batsman, has brought the same qualities to Team India now as a head coach.
Every head coach brings a different flavour, and so many different styles adorn the league. Players quickly get credit for making the league what it is today, but when it comes to the important role of the head coach, sadly, it often doesn't get highlighted in the same way.
Mahela Jayawardene, head coach of Mumbai Indians since 2025, was an elegant batsman in his day. He was soft spoken and beautiful on the eye. That's exactly how he operates today as the head coach. In the lead-up to their opener, he had insisted that at Mumbai Indians, more than trophies, they care for how they do things and that they already have many trophies in their cabinet, which simply means there is no desperation in the camp.
Jayawardene's former Sri Lanka team-mate Kumar Sangakkara is at the helm at RR, who have won all three of their matches so far and are at the top of the table. Sangakkara was much more aggressive than Jayawardene as a batsman, and exactly the same type of cricket is on display from RR. Left-handed batsmen Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal are particularly going to benefit from Sangakkara, one of the most attractive left-handed batsmen of all time.
RCB's Andy Flower is considered the greatest Zimbabwean cricketer ever. In the 1990s and early 2000s, his name was taken in the same vein as Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting. He was an inventive batter. He was the first batsman who reverse-swept with such extraordinary accuracy and consistency. RCB reflect his personality. Since 2024, he has transformed the franchise, and it has to be said that he was the mastermind behind the team winning their first-ever IPL trophy last season.
Hayden and Badani are contrasting but effective personalities!
Matthew Hayden is not the head coach. He is, in fact, Gujarat Titans' batting coach. Fans from the 1990s and 2000s would remember how threatening and aggressive he was with the bat. He would walk down the wicket against really quick bowlers! Sai Sudharsan and Washington Sundar, in particular, can learn a lot from him, being left-handed batsmen. Make no mistake, Hayden in the ranks means loads of aggression in the batting department.
Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani, no disrespect to him, was an average cricketer and played very few matches for the Indian team. However, in a press conference in Delhi last month, he came across as somebody who thinks on his feet, somebody who was interested in newer trends and tendencies in cricket. He may look docile, but he is not. The way he stopped David Miller and asked Tristan Stubbs to walk into bat instead against Lucknow Super Giants was bold. And it proved to be a masterstroke. From 26/4, DC went on to win the game without losing another wicket.
So, as you can see, the IPL is a potpourri of all types of styles and characters in various coaching roles. No exaggeration, it only enriches the league, making it the very best in the world.
