IPL 2026: RR reboot! Sangakkara back as head coach; replaces Dravid after tough season

NEW DELHI: Rajasthan Royals person turned to a trusted fig to revive their fortunes, announcing that Kumar Sangakkara volition instrumentality arsenic caput manager for IPL 2026, successful summation to continuing his relation arsenic Director of Cricket. The franchise confirmed the determination connected Monday, bringing an extremity to Rahul Dravid’s one-season tenure aft a disappointing ninth-place decorativeness successful IPL 2025.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Sangakkara antecedently served arsenic caput manager from 2021 to 2024, overseeing a play of renewed competitiveness. Under his leadership, RR reached the

IPL

2022 last and returned to the playoffs successful 2024, re-establishing consistency that the broadside failed to replicate successful 2025. Dravid, who coached RR successful 2025, stepped down up of the caller season.

“We are delighted to person Kumar instrumentality arsenic Head Coach,” said Manoj Badale, pb proprietor of Rajasthan Royals.

“As we looked astatine what the squad needed astatine this stage, we felt that his familiarity wrong the squad, his enactment and heavy knowing of the Royals civilization would bring the close equilibrium of continuity and stability. Kumar has ever had our implicit spot arsenic a leader. His clarity, calmness and cricketing quality volition play an important relation successful guiding the squad into this adjacent phase.

”Rajasthan’s restructured coaching radical sees

Vikram Rathour

elevated to pb adjunct coach, focusing connected batting improvement and tactical preparation.

Shane Bond continues arsenic accelerated bowling coach, ensuring continuity for the gait attack. Trevor Penney and Sid Lahiri besides instrumentality arsenic adjunct manager and show manager respectively, further strengthening the enactment staff.Sangakkara expressed excitement astatine resuming the role. “I’m honoured to instrumentality arsenic caput manager and proceed moving with this talented group,” helium said. “I’m besides pleased to person a beardown coaching squad alongside me. Vikram, Trevor, Shane, and Sid each bring invaluable experience. We person a wide knowing of wherever we privation to spell arsenic a group, and our purpose is to physique a squad that plays with clarity, resilience, and purpose.”