Delhi Capitals have named former Ireland all-rounder John Mooney as their new fielding coach for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season starting on March 28. Mooney, who holds various coaching certificates, will join an experienced support staff that includes Hemang Badani as head coach, Munaf Patel as the bowling coach, and Ian Bell as the assistant coach. Venugopal Rao will serve as the team’s director for IPL 2026.
Mooney takes over from Gnaneswara Rao and Anton Roux, who left after the 2025 season. He has previously worked as the fielding coach for Afghanistan and the West Indies men’s team. Additionally, he has been a temporary coach for the Ireland women’s team since January this year.
A former Irish international player, Mooney has featured in 91 international matches, including multiple ICC Cricket World Cups and T20 World Cups. Known for his left-hand batting and right-arm quick bowling, the 43-year-old played for Ireland from 2006 to 2015, notably contributing to Ireland’s historic victory over England in the 2011 World Cup.
Delhi Capitals faced a setback with the withdrawal of mentor Kevin Pietersen before the season. Axar Patel, the T20 World Cup 2026 champion, will continue to lead the team, which boasts experienced players like KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mitchell Starc from Australia. The team aims to improve on their fifth-place finish from the previous season and secure their first IPL trophy in the 19th season.
