Reports: India's former nemesis joins RCB as bowling coach, Luke Williams resigns

Published - 04 Nov 2025, 19:26 IST | Updated - 04 Nov 2025, 20:11 IST

According to reports, former England fast bowler Anya Shrubsole has been appointed as the new bowling coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of the 2026 edition of the Women's Premier League (WPL). Meanwhile, head coach Luke Williams is parting ways due to scheduling conflicts.

The champions of the second edition of the WPL are set to make wholesale changes in their support staff ahead of the upcoming season.

Shrubsole retired from international cricket in 2022 after playing eight Tests, 86 ODIs, and 79 T20Is for England. She picked up 19, 106, and 102 wickets in the three formats, respectively. The 33-year-old had an exemplary record against India, bagging 34 wickets in 28 matches across formats.

She famously orchestrated England's victory in the 2017 World Cup final with a match-winning spell of 6/46 at Lord’s against India - one of the most memorable performances in women’s cricket history.

After hanging up her boots, Shrubsole has been part of the coaching group at Southern Brave in The Hundred and worked as a player-cum-mentor with several domestic teams in England.

This appointment marks her first full-time coaching role in franchise cricket. Shrubsole comes in for Sunetra Paranjape, who served as RCB’s bowling coach during their triumphant WPL 2024 title-winning campaign.

The RCB management was reportedly looking to welcome someone with fresh ideas to bolster their bowling unit, which features talented Indian bowlers Renuka Singh and Shreyanka Patil. New Zealand legend Sophie Devine is also a part of the squad.

Meanwhile, Luke Williams, who spearheaded RCB to their maiden WPL title last year, has stepped down from his role as head coach. His decision was influenced by existing commitments with the Adelaide Strikers in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), which overlaps with the advanced WPL 2026 schedule, commencing on January 8.

In his absence, RCB are expected to promote Malolan Rangarajan, the team’s long-time assistant and strategy coach, to the head coach role. Rangarajan has been with the RCB setup since 2020. He played a key role in helping domestic talents hone their skills and shaping the franchise’s tactical approach.

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RCB will look to bounce back strongly after failing to reach the playoffs this year. They finished fourth after winning three and losing five games in the league phase.