Ian Bell calls the IPL “a rollercoaster” after experiencing it up close for the first time in his role as Delhi Capitals’ assistant coach, pointing to how the tournament can swing from astonishing highs to harsh lows in the space of a single season.
Key takeaways
- Bell highlights DC’s record-setting 264 total, immediately followed by the competition’s biggest successful chase of 265.
- He notes the league’s lowest powerplay figure of 13 for 6, with DC later producing their own best successful chase of 222.
- Bell says the emotional intensity of the IPL must be managed by coaches so decision-making stays clear in the dugout and during reviews.
- KL Rahul’s current form stands out for Bell, including a strike rate above 180 this season.
- Bell argues the IPL still needs “intelligent” batters who can read conditions and adapt, not just power-hitting.
- Delhi’s path to the final is tight after losing at home to Chennai Super Kings, meaning all four remaining league games must be won.
From extremes on the scoreboard to controlled emotions in the dugout
Reflecting on his introduction to the IPL, Bell stresses that the fluctuations are dramatic. He cites a sequence of extremes linked to Delhi Capitals’ campaign: a franchise-high score of 264, then the tournament’s top chase of 265. He pairs that with another contrast involving the opening overs, pointing to the league’s worst powerplay total of 13 for 6, followed by DC’s best successful chase of 222.
Bell believes the coaching challenge is not only tactical but psychological. “It’s a skill, isn’t it? You want to stay as level as possible,” he said, adding that while emotions are constantly present around the ground, the coaching group has to remain grounded. Whether they are in the dugout or reviewing footage afterward, he insists the process must stay calm and sharply focused, even during games he describes as “incredible.”
Bell’s coaching journey and how Rahul’s clarity shapes plans
To some, Bell may still be associated with his cover drive in Test cricket, but his IPL sideline work comes after a deliberately varied coaching path. Over the last five years, he has built a coaching résumé across formats and cultures, with roles that included Sri Lanka, New Zealand, England Lions and Derbyshire, alongside engagements with franchise competitions.
Bell’s connection to Delhi Capitals runs through the GMR Group, which co-owns the franchise. He has worked with the group for a couple of years—first in the ILT20 and later in Major League Cricket. Over time, relationships have strengthened with Venugopal Rao, the director of cricket, and Hemang Badani, the head coach. Bell also expects to work with both men again in The Hundred this year with Southern Brave.
He says his appointment as Delhi’s assistant coach came after a full interview process, stepping in to replace Matthew Mott. Still, his wider GMR involvement made his first IPL experience feel natural. Bell frames the move as the fulfilment of a long-held goal: when he retired, he wanted to experience the IPL as the top league he most wanted to see.
Bell describes the IPL as “incredible” and says the attention it draws resembles what players and staff experience in international cricket. He notes that until someone is in India during the IPL season, they may not fully grasp how all-consuming it is—how it dominates conversations everywhere, and why players and coaches feel a strong pull to be part of it.
As a coach, Bell has been particularly drawn to working with KL Rahul, Delhi’s leading run-scorer. He recalls that Rahul once looked out of place in IPL rhythm, with his role leaning toward anchoring even as the Impact Player rule boosted overall scoring pace. This season, Bell says Rahul has taken his T20 game to a higher level, posting a strike rate above 180.
Bell compares Rahul’s approach in training to the mindset he associates with Joe Root. He says Rahul arrives with purpose and clear targets for the next match, with detailed understanding of the conditions on the surface they are about to play on. Bell adds that Rahul is professional and direct—he communicates exactly what he wants, making it straightforward for the coach to support the plan.
Bell also connects Rahul’s rise to how Delhi is thinking about powerplay cricket. He points to the broader IPL conversation around strike rates, and to how modern teams—including aggressive sides like Sunrisers Hyderabad—have influenced the way batters attack the first overs. Bell says Delhi have discussed winning powerplays and being proactive early, while also stressing that the key is to do it in your own style.
He singles out what Rahul achieved this season, including a knock of 152 not out against Punjab Kings, as an example of scoring quickly while still playing “proper cricket shots.” Bell praises the ability to keep adapting after so much IPL experience, describing Rahul as a role model for the rest of the squad.
Why “craft” and adaptation still matter in the power-hitting era
Bell says he has been impressed by the new generation of Indian batters—mentioning Abhishek Sharma, Priyansh Arya and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi—who have all scored with strike rates above 200 this season. Even so, he believes there remains space for more “intelligent” players in the IPL mould of Rahul and Virat Kohli.
To make his point, Bell uses a recent example involving Punjab Kings’ defeat to Gujarat Titans on a difficult surface. He argues that the winning effort was not simply about stepping on the gas and hitting straight through the field. Instead, he says it required craft and skill to get over the line. Bell’s message is that if teams are chasing totals of 240-plus, they must have the capability to accelerate, but when a wicket turns or offers seam, the question becomes whether batters can switch gears and respond to those moments.
Bell also reflects on how scoring expectations have transformed. He says that in earlier times, getting out of the powerplay with a score around 50 could be considered acceptable, but that is no longer enough, particularly in the IPL. He adds that while he does not want to label someone an “anchor,” he still values intelligent players who can read what the match demands.
For Bell, Rahul fits that definition because he can sense the situation and adjust accordingly.
Missed chances, IPL scepticism, and format debates with Bethell
Bell admits that in his own prime he might have matched the “intelligent” profile, but his opportunities in short cricket were limited. His focus on Test cricket restricted his chances to play T20 consistently, and while he occasionally reached IPL auctions, he never found a buyer. He says he has no regrets about the career he had, but he does wish he had been part of a team.
Bell’s IPL chances were also affected by the ECB’s early mistrust of the league. When he entered auctions, he did so with only partial availability, knowing he would have to return home with time to spare ahead of England’s Test summer. He says the board’s stance has softened since then, but the same debates keep returning.
He points to Jacob Bethell’s early-season bench role as a trigger for the discussion. Bell explains that Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen have been key voices on either side of the argument, and Bell says he understands both perspectives. He has kept in touch with Bethell while in India, including recalling Bethell’s progress from the Warwickshire academy and noting that Bell has coached in The Hundred. Bell backs Bethell to readjust back to Test cricket next month.
Bell says Rehan Ahmed is also with Delhi, and that the young players work extremely hard on their games. He notes they speak frequently, learn alongside some of the best cricketers in the world, and get plenty of exposure. Still, Bell believes most people would agree that for scoring a Test century at Lord’s in early-season conditions against the Dukes ball, the best preparation is three or four rounds of county cricket.
On the other hand, Bell acknowledges Bethell has agreed to be in the IPL from last year and is learning a lot. Bell reflects on what he would have done if he had been able to spend two months with Sachin Tendulkar or Rahul Dravid during his own playing days, calling it “absolute gold.” He adds that cricket has changed, and that young players today may be better at adapting from one format to another, even if it is still not an easy skill to master.
Delhi’s final push and Bell’s hope for a late-season surge
If Royal Challengers Bengaluru reach the IPL final, Bethell is expected to return to the UK just three days before England’s first Test of the home summer against New Zealand on June 4. Bell and Delhi Capitals are desperate to make the same stage, but after their home loss to Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday night, Delhi’s situation is demanding.
Bell says Delhi must win all four remaining group matches to keep their title hopes alive. He ends by expressing optimism that the batting group can start clicking—“get on a roll,” get their unit functioning correctly, and finish the back end of the league stages on a strong run and with momentum.
For Bell, the IPL has already delivered what he hoped it would: an experience he wants to keep returning to, again and again.
