Amit Mishra takes charge of Delhi Capitals' spinners in Ganguly-led coaching revamp

Veteran leg-spinner joins Sourav Ganguly's rebuilt Delhi Capitals staff in his first coaching role in the tournament he played from its opening season

Amit Mishra has been appointed spin bowling coach at Delhi Capitals, returning to the franchise where his Indian Premier League career began in 2008, when the side was still called Delhi Daredevils.

The franchise confirmed the appointment on Wednesday, completing a support staff that has been rebuilt almost entirely ahead of IPL 2027.

It is the first coaching position of the 43-year-old's career in the competition, which he played in from the inaugural edition until his last appearance in 2024.

Back where his IPL career started

Mishra spent 10 of his 16 seasons with the Delhi franchise, across its years as the Daredevils and its rebrand as the Capitals.

He also played for Deccan Chargers, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants, leaving him with a view of most of the tournament's eras from inside a dressing room.

In all he appeared in 162 IPL matches, a tally reached by only a small group of players in the competition's history.

His return puts him on a staff led by two men he shared the tournament with as a player.

A record no other bowler holds

Mishra finished his playing career with 174 IPL wickets and a best return of 5-17.

He is the only bowler to have taken three hat-tricks in the competition, and took each one for a different team.

The first came for Delhi Daredevils in the tournament's opening season in 2008, the second for Deccan Chargers in 2011 and the third for Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2013.

One of the few to come close now works beside him: Yuvraj Singh, Delhi's new assistant and batting coach, is one of two players to have taken two IPL hat-tricks.

Ganguly's reshaped support staff

Delhi have turned to former internationals across the board, with former India captain Sourav Ganguly installed as head coach and Yuvraj as his assistant.

Chaminda Vaas has taken the fast bowling role, replacing Munaf Patel, who held it for the previous two seasons.

The Sri Lankan took 355 Test wickets and 400 in ODIs in an international career that ran for more than a decade.

With Mishra's arrival, each discipline in the Delhi setup is now handled by a specialist who played the game at the top level.

The spinners he inherits

The most immediate beneficiary is Zeeshan Ansari, the left-arm wrist spinner who arrived from Sunrisers Hyderabad in the trade that sent T Natarajan the other way.

Leg-spinners Vipraj Nigam and Rehan Ahmed would also come under Mishra's charge, should Delhi keep them for next season.

All three are wrist spinners, the discipline on which Mishra built a 16-season career.

From player to coach

Mishra acknowledged that the job asks something different of him. "I have to be in a different zone. I have played only as a player in such a big tournament," he said in a video posted by the franchise.

He added that having played alongside many of the current generation should help him settle into the role.

Before his franchise career took over, Mishra represented India in 22 Tests, 36 ODIs and 10 T20Is.

Delhi's retention calls on Nigam and Rehan Ahmed are still to come, and they will be the first squad decisions Mishra has a say in.

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