India, May 8 -- The Indian Premier League has been the biggest franchise cricket league since its inception in 2008, and there is no doubt that every former or current player from around the world would like to experience what it's like being part of this family.

Former English batter Ian Bell, now 44 years old and retired from the game since the end of the 2020 domestic season, has finally fulfilled his long-held ambition, maybe not as a player, but as an assistant coach for Delhi Capitals in the 2026 season. "When I retired, IPL was certainly the number one [league] that I wanted to experience," Bell told ESPNcricinfo.

Bell's selection does not come as a total surprise. While the batter, with over 13,000 international runs, was known ...