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Kumar Sangakkara replaces Rahul Dravid as Rajasthan Royals head coach for IPL 2026
Kumar Sangakkara will now have a dual role at the Rajasthan Royals, serving as both Director of Cricket and Head Coach.
Former Sri Lanka captain and wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Sangakkara will now hold a dual responsibility at the Rajasthan Royals after being appointed as the franchise's head coach for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Sangakkara, who held the post of Director of Cricket for the previous edition of the tournament, now replaces Rahul Dravid as the head coach and will be tasked with leading the team to its second IPL title win.
Sangakkara, 48, previously served as the Royals’ head coach from 2021 to 2024 before Rahul Dravid took over for the 2025 season. However, following the conclusion of the last edition of the tournament, the franchise confirmed that Dravid would not continue in the role. Under Sangakkara, RR reached the 2022 final and qualified for the playoffs in 2024.
Under Dravid, the Royals finished ninth on the points table in IPL 2025, with just 8 points from 14 games. The entire IPL 2025 campaign was marred by conjecture, as the rumour mills were rife with speculation about a possible rift between Dravid and Sanju Samson, which was eventually denied.
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"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," he added.
Vikram Rathour elevated
Vikram Rathour, too, has been promoted to lead as assistant coach, working closely with Sangakkara on batting development, game plans, and overall team preparation. Former New Zealand pacer Shane Bond will continue as the fast bowling coach, providing important continuity to the pace programme, while Trevor Penney and Sid Lahiri maintain their positions as assistant coach and performance coach, respectively.
"We are delighted to have Kumar return as Head Coach. As we assessed the team's needs at this stage, we felt that his familiarity within the squad, his leadership, and his deep understanding of the Royals' culture would bring the right balance of continuity and stability, said Manoj Badale, Lead Owner, Rajasthan Royals.
"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," he added.
The Royals have already traded Sanju Samson to the Chennai Super Kings and gotten Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja on board. The franchise will now look to plug holes in the upcoming mega auction on December 16 in Abu Dhabi.
