Dahiya says Delhi must change mentality to compete in Ranji Trophy

Vijay Dahiya, after his appointment as Delhi coach on Friday, said in New Delhi on September 26, 2026 that the team’s mentality must change to play the longer format in the Ranji Trophy. He made the remark to The Hindu following his reappointment to the role.

Delhi, a side that has won seven Ranji titles, has not advanced past the group stage in each of the last seven seasons and last lifted the trophy in 2007-08. The team finished runner-up in 2017-18, and has not won a white-ball domestic tournament since claiming the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2017-18. Dahiya, 53, was a wicketkeeper-batter in his playing days and retired in 2006; he was coach in the 2007-08 season when Delhi last won the Ranji Trophy. Having had multiple stints since then, he has now been given charge of the side again.

On the challenge posed by red-ball cricket Dahiya said: “Red-ball cricket has been a challenge. There’s no denying it. The gap between good teams and the rest is more visible in this format. It takes a little bit of time to build, but we have the ingredients,” he told The Hindu after his appointment on Friday.

Addressing how he intends to approach the squad, Dahiya said: “I will try and remind them of the team that they play for. We have a history. We need to change a little bit of the mentality to play this format,” he said.

Asked whether his memories of the 2007-08 Ranji-winning season could inspire the current group, he replied: “It was a long time ago. Personally, there is something, but that doesn’t connect with this lot.” He added: “They have to make their own memories. They have to make their own history. I will try to be part of that.”

Dahiya’s stated focus is to work with the current players to alter their approach to the longer format, and he has committed to being part of the process of building new achievements for Delhi.