Following their sixth-place finish in the IPL 2023, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have yet to renew the contracts of director of cricket operations Mike Hesson and head coach Sanjay Bangar, indicating a potential major revamp within the franchise.
According to ESPNcricinfo, contract renewals typically take place around September, but RCB\’s management is currently contemplating changes to the coaching staff. It remains uncertain whether Hesson and Bangar have been informed about this, as both individuals did not respond to ESPNcricinfo\’s query.
In a statement, RCB mentioned that Hesson and Bangar\’s contracts are still intact and that the team is currently undergoing a review process. The franchise will make an announcement regarding any changes in the team in due course.
Hesson joined RCB in August 2019 after a coaching staff overhaul following the team\’s last-place finish that year. Bangar, on the other hand, began his tenure ahead of the 2022 season, taking over from Simon Katich who departed from the franchise.
Under Hesson\’s guidance, RCB finished fourth in the league in 2020, losing the Eliminator to Sunrisers Hyderabad. They secured a third-place finish in 2021 but again lost the Eliminator, this time to the Kolkata Knight Riders. In IPL 2022, RCB finished fourth and won the Eliminator but lost Qualifier 2 to the Rajasthan Royals. However, in IPL 2023, they failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Although RCB has reached the IPL finals three times (in 2009, 2011, and 2016), they have not yet claimed the IPL title.
If RCB decides to part ways with Hesson, it could also lead to changes in the support staff of the RCB women\’s team. Hesson served as the director of cricket for the team during the inaugural Women\’s Premier League, where they finished fourth among five teams, with two wins and six losses.
