Bengaluru
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have appointed former Tamil Nadu spinner Malolan Rangarajan as the head coach of their women’s team ahead of the fourth Women’s Premier League season next year. He replaces Luke Williams, who was head coach in 2024, after first serving as assistant coach. Rangarajan has been part of the RCB system for six years and has worked across several roles during this time. He also contributed to the growth of the RCB Men’s team, working closely with big names like Dinesh Karthik, Sanjay Bangar, Mike Hesson, Simon Katich and Andy Flower. RCB said on their official X handle that his long involvement makes him the right choice to now lead the women’s unit.
Rangarajan said he is excited to begin this new challenge, and thanked Luke Williams for the work he did that helped RCB lift their first WPL title in 2024. He said the coming mega auction will allow the franchise to shape the next phase of the squad, while also keeping in mind the core group for retentions. He added that he has a strong working relationship with Captain Smriti Mandhana and the support staff, built over the last three years, and that gives him confidence to aim for more success.
Smriti Mandhana congratulated him, saying she enjoys cricketing conversations with him and praised his positive influence on the group. RCB COO Rajesh Menon said his promotion is a natural step because he understands the culture and style of play the club wants. The next WPL is scheduled one month earlier than usual in 2026 as India and Sri Lanka will jointly host the men’s T20 World Cup in the February-March window.
