New Delhi, Sep 19 : India Capitals, the Legends League Cricket (LLC) franchise, have announced former English cricketer Ian Bell as the new captain. India Capitals will begin their campaign against Toyam Hyderabad in Jodhpur on Saturday at Barkatullah Khan Stadium, Jodhpur.

India Capitals, who were the champions of the inaugural edition of the LLC 2022 under the captaincy of Gautam Gambhir, the current head coach of the Indian men's national cricket team, will be looking forward to repeating the same in this edition. Dwayne Smith, Ravi Bopara, Colin de Grandhomme, Naman Ojha, and Dhawal Kulkarni are some prominent players who will don the India Capitals jersey. Supporting them from the dugout will be former Indian cricketers Hemang Badani as the head coach, Munaf Patel and Venugopal Rao, who will make up for a distinguished support staff.

Badani said, "Ian Bell brings a wealth of experience and leadership qualities to the India Capitals. His track record and achievements speak for itself, and we believe his ability to inspire and guide the team will be invaluable in our quest for another successful season. We're confident of building on our legacy and putting up a strong performance in Season 3 of the Legends League Cricket."

Bell has represented England for over a decade and is widely regarded as one of the greatest batters to have ever played for England. Over his illustrious career, Bell achieved remarkable milestones, representing England from 2004 to 2015.

He accumulated 7,727 Test runs, including 22 centuries and 46 half-centuries, and played a pivotal role in three Ashes-winning series for England. Known for his elegant batting style and ability to handle pressure situations, Bell is a natural leader both on and off the field.

Speaking about his appointment as captain of India Capitals, Bell said, "It's an honour to lead such a talented team of legends in a tournament like the Legends League Cricket. The India Capitals have a rich history, and I look forward to working with the squad to create another chapter of success. The passion of cricket fans across India is unmatched, and I'm excited to bring our best game to them this season.'

India Capitals squad for LLC 2024: Ian Bell (c), Kirk Edwards, Dwayne Smith, Ravi Bopara, Ben Dunk, Naman Ojha, Colin de Grandhomme, Iqbal Abdulla, Dhruv Raval, Dhawal Kulkarni, Ashley Nurse, Parwinder Awana, Pankaj Singh, Pawan Suyal, Chirs Mpofu, Barinder Saran, Y Gnaneswara Rao, Bharat Chipli and Faiz Fazal.

/IANS