The Indian Premier League (IPL) has changed the way coaching and strategy work in cricket
. It’s now common to see support staff having animated discussions near the boundary, head coaches rushing onto the field during time-outs, and coded messages being displayed outside the dressing room. Coaches and analysts often communicate with captains and players using paddles or signals, while bowling coaches quickly step in to offer advice after a bowler has had an expensive over. These scenes have become a regular part of the tournament.
The IPL has brought a managerial style similar to football into cricket. Mike Hesson, who has coached teams like Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, explains, “There are only a few captains available, but the number of experienced coaches is much larger.”
Earlier, IPL teams relied on smart and tactical captains to lead them on the field. However, franchises are now shifting towards data-driven strategies managed by coaches and support staff. With teams moving on from experienced leaders like MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli, the upcoming season will see only two captains—Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer—who have previously led a team to an IPL title. Interestingly, both will be playing for different franchises this season, aiming to prove themselves again.
Unlike national teams, where players sometimes prefer to make their own decisions rather than follow a coach’s instructions, IPL teams are becoming more dependent on coaches for tactical planning. Dan Weston, a T20 strategist working with Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred, believes coaches should take charge of decision-making. “Sometimes, coaches hesitate to take control because players like to do things their own way. But a strong tactical coach is necessary to balance this and guide the team,” he says.
RCB’s New Direction
Recognizing the need for a strong strategic leader, Royal Challengers Bengaluru appointed Andy Flower as their head coach. Although he hadn’t coached outside England before 2020, Flower has since become one of the most successful T20 coaches. He has guided teams to the playoffs in 13 out of 15 seasons across leagues like the IPL, CPL, PSL, ILT20, and The Hundred, winning three titles along the way.
RCB, a team that has yet to win an IPL trophy, brought in Flower in 2023 to help him understand the team and conditions before shaping the squad to his vision in 2025. To give him the freedom to build his ideal team, RCB retained only three players before the mega auction. Having a relatively inexperienced captain also works in Flower’s favor, as younger captains tend to rely more on their coaches for strategic guidance. As Weston explains, “If a captain is new, they are more likely to listen to the coach. That makes it easier for the coach to implement their ideas rather than dealing with an experienced captain who already has strong opinions.”
More Teams Banking on Strong Coaches
RCB isn’t the only franchise embracing this approach. Delhi Capitals will see Axar Patel taking inputs from Hemang Badani, while Rishabh Pant will depend on Justin Langer. Punjab Kings have brought in Ricky Ponting to work with Shreyas Iyer, and familiar coaching faces will be supporting captains like Ruturaj Gaikwad at Chennai Super Kings and Hardik Pandya at Mumbai Indians.
However, there’s a downside to this growing influence of coaches. Sometimes, after a team wins a title, the coach gets most of the credit, leaving the captain feeling overlooked. Recently, Shreyas Iyer expressed that he didn’t receive enough recognition for leading his team to an IPL title, as the spotlight was on mentor Gautam Gambhir.
Hesson points out that while coaching from the sidelines is important, it shouldn’t be overdone. “A coach should provide an outside perspective but not constantly send messages to players. The goal is to create a leadership group that can make decisions on the field. If too many instructions are sent out during a game, it suggests the coach hasn’t done enough preparation beforehand,” he explains.
At the end of the day, IPL teams are judged by results, and coaches often bear the brunt of failures. Unlike traditional cricket setups where coaches stay behind the scenes, IPL coaches have become active participants in shaping the game from the dugout.
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