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RCB reveal new head coach for WPL 2026; Rangarajan set to take charge ahead of new cycle

Soumyajit Dutta

Malolan Rangarajan [Source: @RCBTweets/X.com]Malolan Rangarajan [Source: @RCBTweets/X.com]

In a recent and massive development, the RCB Women's cricket team has announced a new head coach for the IPL 2026 season onwards. Malolan Rangarajan, who has been a key member of the support staff for the team for the last 6 years, has been appointed as the head coach of the team.

Malolan effectively replaces Luke Williams, who led the franchise to their maiden WPL title in 2024, as the latter stepped down from the role because of his other coaching commitments.

Rangarajan is a veteran in RCB-W camp

Malolan Rangarajan is an RCB veteran who filled his boots in roles like the head of scouting and being assistant coach in 2025. He was also the head of scouting for RCB-W in 2024, as the former first-class cricketer boasts 136 wickets in 47 matches.

Malolan has also been a dependable performer with the bat, having scored 1,379 runs in 47 first-class matches at an average of 28.14. However, in T20s, he was rather underwhelming, featuring in just two games where he scored 28 runs and failed to take any wickets. The Chennai-born cricketer represented Uttarakhand, South Zone, and Tamil Nadu during his career.

After hanging up his boots in 2019, he became an integral part of the WPL coaching staff and is expected to build a strong rapport with the players while guiding and mentoring the team effectively.

Why Malolan has been appointed?

While elaborated details from the RCB-W camp are yet to come, it has been learned that Luke has resigned because of the existing commitments with the Adelaide Strikers in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), which overlaps with the advanced WPL 2026 schedule beginning January 8.

Meanwhile, RCB-W have seen another change in their coaching staff as they roped in Anya Shrubsole, former England quick and World Cup winner, to lead the bowling unit as the coach. Bowlers like Renuka Singh Thakur and Sophie Devine will be getting massive guidance from the experienced veteran as RCB-W looks to turn things around after a disappointing 2025 campaign.