Bell on the 'rollercoaster' life of an IPL coach: 'You can see why everyone wants to be here'

Bell makes clear that he went through a full interview process before his appointment as Delhi's assistant coach, replacing Matthew Mott, but his involvement with GMR's other teams has made his first taste of the IPL feel like a natural fit. It is the fulfilment of a long-held ambition: "When I retired, IPL was certainly the number one [league] that I wanted to experience," Bell says.

He describes it as an "incredible" experience, and has been struck by how closely the level of interest and scrutiny replicates international cricket: "Until you are here in India during IPL season, you probably don't quite get it. It is everything everyone's talking about, wherever you go… You can see why every player and coach wants to be here, really."

Bell was a stylist as a player, and has particularly enjoyed working with another in KL Rahul, who is DC's leading run-scorer. It was not long ago that Rahul seemed like an anachronism in the IPL, playing an anchoring role even as the Impact Player rule prompted a surge in scoring rates. But he has taken his T20 game to a new level this season, scoring at a strike rate above 180.

Bell says that Rahul's clarity when he trains reminds him of Joe Root. "They come with a purpose and they train with specifics: what they need to win the next game, and real clarity on the surface that they're about to play on… He's clear on his tactics, and he's such a professional. He will come and tell me exactly what he wants, and that's easy.

"There's a lot of talk about strike rates, and we see a lot of modern-day young players and watch the way that Sunrisers [Hyderabad] have come out and been so aggressive. We've talked a lot about that: we want to win powerplays, we want to be aggressive in the powerplay. I suppose the key for anyone in that is to do it your way.

"What KL has managed to do this season - certainly in that 150 [152 not out vs Punjab Kings] - was to score at a high strike rate, but still playing his way; still playing proper cricket shots, not going away from his strengths. For a guy who has played [so much] and done so well in the IPL to keep adapting, keep looking to get better, is a great role model for the rest of our squad."

Bell has watched and admired the new generation of Indian batters - Abhishek Sharma, Priyansh Arya, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi - scoring with strike rates above 200 this season, but believes there is still room for "intelligent" players in the mould of Rahul and Virat Kohli at the IPL, using the example of Punjab Kings' recent defeat to Gujarat Titans on a tricky surface.

"It wasn't just a put-the-foot-down wicket, and bang it into the second tier," he says. "You had to use some craft, some skill to get over the line, and I think that's the key. You still need those players… If they're chasing 240-plus, they have to be able to go. But if you get on a wicket that turns or it seams, do you have the skillset to adapt to those moments?

"Back in the day, [we were] getting out of the powerplay thinking 50 was a good score. That's not a good enough score anymore; certainly in the IPL, that's way off. That's where the goalposts have changed dramatically. Anchor's not the right word, but I like intelligent players. KL, for me, fits into that brand… You want intelligent cricketers that can read the situation."

In his prime, Bell might have matched that description as a short-form batter, but he rarely had the chance to prove it. His focus on Test cricket limited his T20 opportunities and while he occasionally entered the IPL auction, he never found a bidder: "I don't have any regrets about missing anything out in my career, but I would've certainly loved to have been part of a team."

Bell's prospects were not helped by the ECB's general mistrust of the IPL in its early years: he entered auctions with partial availability, knowing he would have to return home with time to spare before England's Test summer. The board's stance has since softened but the same debates continue, with Jacob Bethell's early-season bench-warming acting as the catalyst.

Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen have been the main voices on each side of the argument, and Bell says that he can understand where both of his ex-teammates are coming from. He has caught up with Bethell - whom he saw come through the Warwickshire academy, and has coached in the Hundred - in India, and backs him to adjust back to Test cricket next month.

"We've got Rehan Ahmed here [with Delhi] as well, and these guys work extremely hard on their game: they are talking a lot, and being around some of the best players in the world. But again, I think we'd all agree, if you want to score a Test match hundred at Lord's in early-season conditions against the Dukes ball, the best preparation is three or four rounds of county cricket.

"On the other side, he's agreed to be here from last year, and he is learning a lot. I look back and think if I could have spent two months of my life with Sachin Tendulkar or Rahul Dravid back in the day, that would've been absolute gold… and the world of cricket has changed. Young players are probably better than my generation at adapting from format to format, even though it's not an easy thing to do."

If Royal Challengers Bengaluru reach the IPL final, Bethell will arrive in the UK only three days before England's first Test of the home summer against New Zealand on June 4. Bell and the Capitals are desperate to reach the same stage, but after their home defeat to Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday night, they must win all four remaining group fixtures to stand a chance.

"Hopefully, we'll get on a roll, get the batting unit functioning right, and finish the back end of the group stages on a real run, and on a high," Bell says. "It's been an amazing experience - something I'd love to keep doing time and time again."

Source: ESPN