Kumar Sangakkara, the former Sri Lanka captain, will assume dual responsibilities at the Rajasthan Royals after his reappointment as the franchise’s head coach for IPL 2026. Sangakkara returns to the role after Rahul Dravid parted ways with the franchise earlier this year. Appointed last year as head coach, Dravid couldn’t produce the desired results, as the Royals finished second last in the points table.
Instead of bringing in a new head coach, the Royals have doubled Sangakkara’s responsibilities, as he is also the Director of Cricket at RR. Under Sangakkara, the Royals reached the 2022 final and also qualified for the playoffs in 2024.
“I’m honoured to return as Head Coach and continue working with this talented group. I’m also pleased to have a strong coaching team alongside me. Vikram, Trevor, Shane, and Sid each bring valuable experience in their areas, and together we are focused on preparing the players in the best possible way,” Sangakkara said in an official statement. “We have a clear understanding of where we want to go as a group, and our aim is to build a team that plays with clarity, resilience, and purpose.”
Speaking about Sangakkara’s appointment, Manoj Badale, the Lead Owner of the franchise, said: “As we looked at what the team needed at this stage, we felt that his familiarity with the squad, his leadership, and his deep understanding of the Royals’ culture would bring the right balance of continuity and stability. Kumar has always had our complete trust as a leader. His clarity, calmness, and cricketing intelligence will play an important role in guiding the squad into this next phase.”
Vikram Rathour has been promoted to the position of Lead Assistant Coach, while Shane Bond will continue as the team’s Bowling Coach. Trevor Penney and Sid Lahiri have retained their roles as Assistant Coach and Performance Coach respectively.
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