In a remarkable testament to the rising globalization of cricket coaching networks, Indian coach Malolan Rangarajan has added another chapter to his evolving career by taking up a significant dual role with London Spirit ahead of the 2026 The Hundred season. The move further strengthens the growing alignment between the coaching ecosystems of the English 100-ball competition and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), despite there being no formal structural link between the two organisations.
Rangarajan, who has been involved with the RCB setup since 2019 and most recently served as head coach for their Women’s Premier League (WPL) side, is now juggling responsibilities in England as Auction Strategist and Women’s Assistant Coach for London Spirit. This appointment reflects the increasing demand for tactical and scouting expertise across franchise formats worldwide, as teams look to blend analytical rigour with on-field insight.
At RCB, Rangarajan’s journey has been notable for its breadth: he began as head of talent scouting before evolving into roles such as assistant coach, player identification manager, and ultimately women’s head coach ahead of the 2026 WPL season. His influence has been credited with helping shape RCB’s player-acquisition strategies and on-field structures, leveraging auction insight and talent pathways to build competitive squads.
His London Spirit role is more than ceremonial. As auction strategist, Rangarajan will be central to planning for The Hundred player draft, analysing squad composition, balancing budgets and identifying combinations that fit the Spirit’s philosophy. Combined with his duties as assistant coach for the women’s side, the role positions him at the intersection of administration, strategy and coaching in one of England’s premier franchise competitions.
The London Spirit, based at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground, underwent a strategic ownership change in 2025, with a tech-led consortium acquiring a 49 % stake in the franchise. This move has brought fresh investment and ambition to the club, which has already enjoyed success, including a women’s title.
Prominent figures from RCB have already been tapped by Spirit’s director of cricket Mo Bobat, including former England head coach Andy Flower and batting mentor Dinesh Karthik demonstrating a rare cross-pollination of coaching staff across major global tournaments.
With such cross-continental movement of talent and expertise, Rangarajan’s appointment highlights one of cricket’s evolving trends: coaches are becoming global assets whose impact extends beyond a single franchise or country. For Rangarajan, balancing strategic influence at London Spirit with his deep roots at RCB marks a new phase in a career that continues to gather momentum on both sides of the sport’s franchise map.
