![RCB joins hands with London Spirit [Source: X]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1771754986445_RCBjoinshandswithLondonSpirit.jpg?type=hq)
RCB joins hands with London Spirit [Source: X]
IPL franchise, RCB, and London Spirit have joined hands for the upcoming The Hundred 2026 season, commencing in July. Unlike any other IPL franchise, RCB doesn’t own a team in The Hundred, but they will make their presence felt in the upcoming edition as their backroom staff will join the London Spirit.
In the IPL, RCB boasts a well-stocked coaching department, led by Andy Flower as the head coach, Dinesh Karthik as the batting coach, Omkar Salvi as the bowling coach, and Mo Bobat as the Director of Cricket.
For The Hundred 2026, the RCB coaching team will join the Spirit and will fill in their backroom coaching department. Alongside Karthik, Bobat, and Flower, Malolan Rangarajan (RCB scout), and Freddie Wilde (team analyst) will also join them for the upcoming The Hundred 2026 season.
Why Spirit has hired the RCB coaching staff for The Hundred 2026
The Hundred has not been kind to the London Spirit, as the team has struggled to establish its authority in the tournament. Last season, the team struggled as they finished second last (7th) in the points table, and were knocked out early.
A season prior to that, they finished last as the team has failed to deliver the goods while the others have won trophies for fun. As a result, they have decided to instill a winning mentality in the squad by going after the RCB support staff.
Before the 2023 season, RCB was struggling in the IPL, as they had reached multiple playoff places, but never really touched the gold. However, that all changed when Andy Flower arrived, followed by Mo Bobat, and Dinesh Karthik.
Also Read: RCB Not To Play At Chinnaswamy In IPL 2026; Franchise Puts Huge Demand Before KSCA
They reached the playoffs in 2024, but the crowning moment came last season, when RCB defied all odds and clinched their maiden IPL title by defeating Punjab Kings. While the players performed exceedingly well, the credit also went to the coaching team, as they worked relentlessly.
Flower has the experience of coaching in England, Freddie Wilde has worked as an analyst their, and that experience would come in handy for the Spirit.
London Spirit's sorry state of affairs in The Hundred
The team from London has been a disappointment in England’s marquee competition. In the inaugural edition (2021), they played poorly and finished in 8th position. In the following season, things improved as the side finished third.
However, the last three seasons have been a disappointment as the team finished in 7th, 8th, and 7th position respectively.
IPL side RCB gets new bidders
In other news, according to reports, “The Times of India Group,” with the backing of a US family office, is interested in buying the RCB team. The team also bought a 49% stake in the London Spirit, whose backroom staff remains the same as RCB.
Apart from the Times Group, Premier League club Manchester United, the owner, the Glazers are also interested in buying the IPL franchise. The team valuation is around 2 billion, and the United owners are tempted to acquire the team.
A new team owner is most likely to be announced before the start of the IPL 2026 season.
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