Omkar Salvi has been named the new bowling coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ahead of the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Salvi is currently the head coach of the Mumbai senior men’s team.
The 46-year-old has recently tasted quite a bit of success with Mumbai. He was appointed as Mumbai’s head coach in May 2023. Under him, Mumbai went on to lift the Ranji Trophy title after eight years. They also went on to win the Irani Cup earlier in the season. The former Railways cricketer’s contract with Mumbai is coming to an end in March 2025.
Salvi replaces Adam Griffith who has been RCB’s bowling coach since 2020. This will not be Salvi’s first coaching stint in the IPL. He has been a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) setup as the assistant bowling coach. He joins forces with Dinesh Karthik who he has worked with at KKR. Karthik retired after the 2024 edition of the IPL and he was appointed as the batting coach for the three-time IPL finalists.
RCB took to social media to confirm the announcement. Their post read, “Announcement: Omkar Salvi, current Head Coach of Mumbai, has been appointed as RCB’s Bowling Coach. Omkar, who has won the Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy and the IPL in the last 8 months, is excited to join us in time for #IPL2025, after completion of his Indian domestic season duties.”
RCB director elated with Salvi’s appointment
RCB’s director of cricket Mo Bobat was excited after Salvi’s appointment. He believes the 46-year-old’s success in domestic cricket along with his IPL experience. Bobat praised Salvi’s technical expertise and local knowledge which will be key to building a strong bowling core.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Omkar Salvi as RCB’s Bowling Coach. With his vast experience, especially in developing fast bowlers, and proven success at the domestic and IPL levels, he’s the perfect fit for our coaching team. Omkar’s technical expertise, local knowledge and leadership will add huge value to our squad and environment,” Mo Bobat was quoted saying after the announcement was made official.
RCB are heading into the IPL auction with the second-highest purse among the 10 teams. They have retained Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and Yash Dayal. They have reached the playoffs in four out of the last five seasons. However, RCB will be in search of that elusive title.
