Kumar Sangakkara set to be head coach of Rajasthan Royals for upcoming IPL 2026
The Rajasthan Royals had a horrific campaign in the Indian Premier League 2025 earlier this year, as they were knocked out of the tournament’s league stage. Meanwhile, the former head coach, Rahul Dravid, also refused to take the ‘broader role’ offered by the franchise, forcing them to fill void.
Former Sri Lanka skipper and Rajasthan Royals’ Director of Cricket for the last four years, Kumar Sangakkara, will be back for the franchise in the role of head coach. He will replace the former head coach Rahul Dravid, who stepped down from the position earlier this year after the team’s early exit in the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League. The management is in touch with Sangakkara to firm the position, and the latter has also started the plans and preparations for the upcoming edition of the tournament next year.
Notably, Sangakkara joined the RR camp four years back in 2021, with dual responsibilities as head coach and Director of Cricket. Under his guidance, Sanju Samson and Co. have made it to the playoffs on two occasions in these four seasons. Meanwhile, it also happened in IPL 2022 when the Royals qualified for the tournament’s Final for the first time since they lifted the title in the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2008. RR’s appearance in the IPL 2022 final was followed by their qualification to the playoffs in the 2023 edition, where they were knocked out of the tournament with a defeat in the second qualifier.
In the same line of events, the Royals roped in Rahul Dravid as head coach after he guided Team India to win the T20 World Cup 2024 after a long wait of 17 years. Meanwhile, the media reports have also learned that RR are looking forward to retaining the former Indian batting coach Vikram Rathour as the assistant coach for the next edition. Former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond is expected to continue as the team’s bowling in the upcoming edition of the tournament. He moved to the Royals camp for the Mumbai Indians last year in IPL 2024. Rathour also joined RR’s coaching staff just before IPL 2025.
So, there might be a change of only the head coach for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026, as the newly appointed head coach, Sangakkara, is expected to work with the same staff that worked with Rahul Dravid.
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