Former Sri Lankan batter-wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara was appointed as the Rajasthan Royals (RR) head coach for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season on Monday, November 17. Sangakkara will replace former Indian legend batter Rahul Dravid.
48-year-old Sangakkara served as the head coach of the RR team from 2021 to 2024, and he was replaced by Dravid for the 2025 edition. After the conclusion of the last edition of the tournament, the franchise confirmed Dravid would no longer be at the helm. RR finished at the night position on the points table under Dravid in the IPL 2025 season, scoring just 18 points from 14 matches.
Rajasthan Royals have announced that Kumar Sangakkara has been reappointed as their head coach for IPL 2026 in addition to continuing his role as the franchise’s Director of Cricket. Sangakkara previously served as RR’s head coach from 2021 to 2024. pic.twitter.com/yMJ5oFiUPh
— IANS (@ians_india) November 17, 2025
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It was also speculated that there was a rift between Dravid and Sanju Samson, which was later denied by the former. Under Sangakkara’s coaching, the franchise reached the 2022 final and qualified for the playoffs in the 2024 edition.
RAJASTHAN ROYALS EDIT FOR THE NEW HEAD COACH 🥶
– It’s Kumar Sangakkara. pic.twitter.com/zArm2V3VsR
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 17, 2025
“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.
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