The Royal Challengers Bengaluru has appointed Malolan Rangarajan as their new head coach ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 season.

He will be replacing Luke Williams, having served as the team’s Assistant coach during the past two seasons.

The former all-rounder has represented Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand in domestic cricket and has been a key figure in RCB’s broader setup.

Beyond his work with the women’s side, he has played an instrumental role in the RCB Men’s team’s development, including their maiden title win last season.

Sharing his excitement about the promotion, Malolan Rangarajan said, “I’m very excited and honoured to be appointed Head Coach of the women’s team. I want to acknowledge Luke’s contribution and impact, which led to RCB’s title win in 2024.”

“The upcoming mega auction presents an exciting challenge, giving us the chance to shape the next phase of the squad while having a strong core to consider for retentions.

“Over the past three years, I’ve developed a great working relationship with Smriti, as well as the coaching and support staff, and I look forward to continuing that partnership to deliver the success that RCB fans deserve.”

RCB captain Smriti Mandhana has congratulated Molalan Rangarajan on his new role, expressing confidence in their partnership.

“I want to congratulate Malolan Rangarajan on his appointment as Head Coach of RCB in the WPL.

“I share great rapport with him and I’ve enjoyed our cricketing discussions. He’s been a positive influence on the girls over the last three years, and I’m confident of working well together, leading RCB to success in the upcoming season.”

After lifting their maiden WPL trophy in 2024, RCB endured a disappointing campaign in 2025, finishing fourth on the points table and missing out on the playoffs.

Ahead of the WPL 2026 season, the BCCI has decided to host a mega auction in November, and the deadline for submitting the retained players’ list closed on November 05.

Rangarajan will be aiming to rebuild and structure the squad during the WPL 2026 auction, which is likely to be held on November 26 or 27.