‘I’ve got the order’: Sourav Ganguly breaks silence on conflict of interest over Delhi Capitals head coach role and CAB presidency

Sourav Ganguly has been appointed head coach of Delhi Capitals f Amid questions of conflict of interest as CAB president, he assured no issues exist.

Sourav Ganguly was recently appointed as the head coach of the Delhi Capitals (DC), and he will take charge of the franchise ahead of the new season of the IPL in 2027. He will have a lot on his plate, as he will aim to lead the Capitals to a playoff spot at least, with them missing out on a spot in the last two years. They also have a new-look side, with Rishabh Pant making a much-anticipated return. However, amidst all this, the question remained as to whether there would be any charges of conflict of interest after he got this job, especially since he is the current president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).

Sourav Ganguly was appointed as the head coach of Delhi Capitals. (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

Sourav Ganguly has now himself given a reaction when asked about the whole conflict of interest debate. The former India captain said that he has got an order from the BCCI ombudsman and hence, there is no problem with him handling both jobs of CAB president and Delhi Capitals head coach at the same time.

"I've got the order of the ombudsman," Ganguly told reports outside the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata after the India vs Uruguay football friendly match.

"Delhi will play well. I'm looking forward to it," the recently appointed head coach added.

Sourav Ganguly and his association with Delhi Capitals and JSW Group

Sourav Ganguly was earlier part of the Delhi Capitals franchise as an advisor in 2019. He then returned as the Director of Cricket in 2023 and continued in the role for two years, when Ricky Ponting was the head coach of the franchise. This is the first time that the former India captain will be the head coach of the IPL team.

In fact, Ganguly was also serving as the CAB president in 2019 when he was appointed as the advisor of the Delhi Capitals, and the BCCI had cleared him then too.

Ganguly is also currently serving as the head coach of the Pretoria Capitals, DC's sister franchise in the SA20. He led them to the final in the 2026 season, where they ultimately lost.

When Ricky Ponting left as the DC head coach in 2025, there were reports that Sourav Ganguly would be the man in charge. However, Hemang Badani was appointed in that role. At the same time, Ganguly was appointed as the director of cricket at JSW Sports.

The joint owners of Delhi Capitals - the GMR and JSW groups- operate the franchise's cricketing matters each in a two-year cycle. With GMR's cycle ending in 2026, JSW will currently take charge of DC's cricketing matters till 2029, and Ganguly's appointment was the first big move for them.

Sourav Ganguly will also serve as the head coach of the DC women's team in WPL.