The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) women’s team has entered a significant new phase in its evolution, appointing Malolan Rangarajan as Head Coach ahead of WPL 2026.
While RCB’s decision was shaped in part by scheduling factors, the move signals more than just a replacement on the coaching bench. It represents a wider strategic shift toward continuity, cultural stability, and a long-term vision for roster construction crucial elements heading into a mega auction cycle that will define the next three seasons.
The change in leadership emerged after former head coach Luke Williams, who guided RCB to their first-ever WPL title in 2024, was forced to step away due to a clash in tournament windows. The 2026 WPL season has been advanced to January-February to accommodate the Men’s T20 World Cup later in the year. Williams, committed to the Adelaide Strikers in the Women’s Big Bash League, could not continue under the revised calendar.
Rather than searching externally, RCB turned and elevated a figure deeply integrated into the club’s structure. Rangarajan has spent nearly six years within the Royal Challengers setup, working across scouting, player development, assistant coaching, and strategy. He served as assistant coach during the WPL title-winning campaign, and before that, led RCB’s scouting department across both men’s and women’s systems. His appointment was described by the franchise as a “natural progression,” emphasizing trust in internal continuity.
This continuity comes at a pivotal juncture. RCB Women have had a fluctuating competitive trajectory across the first three seasons of the WPL. The team finished fourth in the inaugural edition, rebounded to win the 2024 title with Ellyse Perry and Shreyanka Patil leading from the front, but then slipped again to fourth place in 2025. RCB now enters a cycle where roster structure, auction discipline, and clarity of role definition will determine whether the 2024 triumph becomes a foundation or remains an outlier.
This is where Rangarajan’s background becomes particularly relevant. A former first-class cricketer who represented Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand, he brings a grounded understanding of the Indian domestic system a critical factor in a league where Indian core players often determine squad balance.
As Player Identification Manager within the RCB setup, Rangarajan has spent years studying depth-level pools, focusing not on star names but on specific role requirements. His philosophy has always been that scouting is less about discovering hidden gems and more about identifying players who can execute precise tactical responsibilities under pressure. Those responsibilities will be front and center heading into the WPL mega auction. Teams are allowed to retain up to five players under revised slabs, with additional complexity in the form of the Right-to-Match card.
The auction will demand careful balancing between keeping marquee overseas talent such as Ellyse Perry and Sophie Devine and ensuring the Indian talent pipeline strengthens the middle and lower order areas that have proven decisive across WPL seasons.
Rangarajan’s first major test will be in how effectively RCB deploys retentions and purse strategy to address these gaps. To complement his leadership profile, RCB has added a significant piece to the support staff: former England fast bowler and World Cup winner Anya Shrubsole. Known for her match-winning six-for in the 2017 ODI World Cup final, Shrubsole brings elite-level pace bowling expertise to a squad that already features promising Indian seam talent in Renuka Singh. In earlier seasons, RCB relied heavily on spin depth and overseas seamers; Shrubsole’s appointment suggests a targeted plan to refine the pace unit technically and tactically.
Importantly, much of the broader support ecosystem remains unchanged. Batting coach R. Muralidhar and Head Physio Navnita Gautam continue in their roles, ensuring stability in day-to-day cricketing environments. This balance — minimal disruption, specific technical enhancement is deliberate. RCB’s management has learned from earlier cycles that too much change at once can unsettle player rhythm and identity. By promoting from within and selectively adding outside expertise, they aim to retain the cultural core while improving technical sharpness.
Rangarajan’s coaching record also suggests the type of environment he intends to build. His stint as head coach in the Caribbean Premier League with St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots was defined by the emphasis he placed on creating secure, stable team culture. He has spoken often about ensuring that players feel psychologically supported, and that physical fitness, nutrition, and personal well-being are treated as inseparable from on-field performance. This is a leadership model that aligns with modern franchise cricket, where seasons are intense, squads are diverse, and cohesion is not automatic.
The larger WPL landscape provides context for RCB’s strategy. Mumbai Indians have undergone their own change, with Charlotte Edwards departing to take over the England national team and Lisa Keightley coming in. Delhi Capitals face an overhaul after releasing Meg Lanning, creating uncertainty in leadership direction. While both franchises remain strong, they enter the next cycle with variables to manage. In a league where small margins matter, RCB stands out as a side opting for internal stability rather than structural reshaping.
The 2026 season will not be judged only on immediate results. RCB’s success under Rangarajan will be measured by whether the franchise can build a consistently competitive core capable of sustaining performance across multiple seasons — not just flashes of form. The decision to hand leadership to someone who understands the organization’s history, personality, and long-term ambition suggests RCB is committed to building something enduring.
This is a new era for RCB Women. Not a reset a consolidation.
Now comes the challenge of transforming continuity into momentum.
