Rajasthan Royals News – Rajasthan Royals Reappoint Sangakkara As Head Coach In A significant move prior to the IPL 2026 season, Kumar Sangakkara has been appointed as Head Coach of Rajasthan Royals once again, and he will be doing double duty holding on to his Director of Cricket job. It’s a big announcement from the franchise as they try to add some stability and leadership to their roster.
Sangakkara, who in 2021-2024 was the Rajasthan Royals head coach, is no stranger to their setup. Under his ownership, the team has made impressive strides and this year itself saw the team under the mentorship of Johan Silverwood reach the IPL 2022 final, along with featuring in all matches in IPL 2024- only to be uprooted off as one of top emerging teams when they reached playoffs. His coaching method – which involved clarity, composure and in-depth analysis - was instrumental in the development of the team’s competitive personality.
The coaching was led by Rahul Dravid during IPL 2025, but the franchise now seems to have moved back towards Sangakkara with a new team development phase in place. Manoj Badale, Rajasthan Royals Lead Owner “We have made a conscious call to build continuity and stability in the squad. The Royals Vice President also said that Sangakkara’s intimate knowledge of the Royals’ culture and close relationship with the players proves him an optimal figure to lead the side.
“As we considered the composition of the team at this juncture, we believed Ajinkya’s depth of experience and leadership qualities made him the ideal candidate to serve as captain,” Badale said.
“Kumar has always had our complete trust in leadership. His clarity, calmness and shrewd cricketing brain will lend a hand to us all as we move in to the next chapter.
With the return of Sangakkara, there have been few changes in their coaching staff. Vikram Rathour, who has worked with the BCCI in various capacities over the past few years, including as ‘A’ team batting coach and assistant to Sanjay Bangar in the senior side, is elevated to lead assistant coach – essentially expanding his role to team strategy from just being a batting development guy.
Shane Bond, the former New Zealand fast bowler will remain as the Bowling Coach which means that there won’t be any disruption in terms of training or preparation for the pacers. Trevor Penney and Sid Lahiri also come back in as Assistant Coach and Performance Coach, respectively, ensuring a well-rounded and experienced support staff.
Led By Sangakkara and supported by a solid coaching team, Rajasthan Royals are Well prepared for IPL 2026 with Re-formed confidence.
