New Delhi, Nov 3 (NationPress) The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have made a significant change by bringing in former England fast bowler Anya Shrubsole as their new bowling coach as part of a restructuring of their support staff ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 season.

Shrubsole, who played a pivotal role in England's 2017 ODI World Cup victory, will be making her debut in RCB's setup, collaborating closely with Malolan Rangarajan, who has been elevated to the position of head coach for the upcoming season. This transition follows Luke Williams, RCB's head coach for the past two seasons, being sidelined due to his commitments with Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League (BBL).

As reported by ESPNcricinfo, the WPL has been rescheduled to commence a month earlier, now slated from January 8 to early February 2026, leading to a conflict with Williams' availability. This adjustment is necessitated by India's co-hosting of the Men’s T20 World Cup alongside Sri Lanka during the February-March timeframe, followed by the IPL 2026.

Shrubsole, who concluded her international career in 2022 with over 200 wickets across all formats, has shifted her focus to coaching. Previously, she served as a player-assistant coach under Charlotte Edwards at Southern Vipers within the English domestic circuit.

Her new position at RCB represents her inaugural coaching role in the WPL, taking over from Sunetra Paranjape, who held the bowling coach role until 2025.

Rangarajan, a former Tamil Nadu offspinner, has been integral to RCB's WPL framework since its launch in 2023. After assisting Ben Sawyer and Mike Hesson during the inaugural season, he served as the assistant coach to Williams during RCB’s title-winning 2024 campaign—their first championship—and continued in this capacity through the 2025 season, where the team placed fourth.

RCB’s other vital support staff members, R. Muralidhar (batting coach) and Navnita Gautam (head physio), are anticipated to retain their roles.

Rangarajan's immediate task involves managing player retentions ahead of the November 5 deadline, with the WPL mega auction expected to take place on November 26 in New Delhi. Reports indicate RCB is set on retaining Smriti Mandhana as captain and a primary selection for the next WPL cycle, while talks are ongoing with Ellyse Perry, Richa Ghosh, Sophie Molineux, and Shreyanka Patil regarding retainments.

So far, RCB has experienced a mixed bag in the WPL, achieving fourth place in 2023 and 2025, sandwiching their landmark title victory in 2024, a triumph that preceded the men's team's historic IPL win in 2025.