Sri Lanka, Nov. 17 -- 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.
"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.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.