Former Ireland all-rounder John Mooney to lead Delhi Capitals fielding unit in IPL 2026

In a significant move ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League, Delhi Capitals have appointed former Ireland all-rounder John Mooney as their new fielding coach . The 44-year-old Mooney becomes the first Irish cricketer to take up a coaching role with an IPL franchise, bringing a wealth of international experience to the Capitals' setup.

Mooney will join head coach Hemang Badani , bowling coach Munaf Patel , assistant coach Ian Bell , and director of cricket Venugopal Rao as the team looks to strengthen its fielding department. The Capitals, who narrowly missed the playoffs last season, are hoping his expertise will sharpen their on-field performance.

An accomplished all-rounder, Mooney played 64 ODIs and 27 T20Is for Ireland between 2006 and 2015. He represented his country in three ODI World Cups (2007, 2011, 2015) and two T20 World Cups (2009, 2010) , leaving a mark with his left-hand batting and right-arm pace.

Beyond his playing career, Mooney has extensive coaching credentials. He served as Afghanistan’s fielding coach during their historic Test debut in India (2018–2019), worked with the West Indies team in 2019 , and had a stint with the Ireland women’s team last year. His international experience is expected to bring fresh insights and energy to the Capitals’ fielding unit.

With IPL 2026 set to begin on March 28 , Delhi Capitals are banking on Mooney’s expertise to turn their fielding into a key strength, complementing a strong coaching team as they aim for a playoff spot this season.