Kumar Sangakkara Returns To Rajasthan Royals! Former Sri Lanka Skipper Set To Become RR's New Head Coach After Rahul Dravid's Exit

Just days after Rahul Dravid's exit, former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara is set to become the new head coach of Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

According to a report from ESPNcricinfo, Sangakkara will lead the coaching staff. The report further stated that the former Sri Lankan cricketer has already started planning for the upcoming IPL 2026 season.

Previously, Kumar Sangakkara served the Rajasthan-based franchise as the Director of Cricket. Under the 47-year-old's guidance, the Royals made it into the IPL playoffs twice in four seasons.

During his cricketing career, the former Sri Lankan cricketer has represented Sunrisers Hyderabad, Deccan Chargers, and Punjab Kings in the IPL. He played 71 IPL matches and 68 innings, scoring 1687 runs at a strike rate of 121.19.

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Sangakkara Set To Replace Rahul Dravid As The Head Coach Of RR

Before the start of IPL 2025, Rajasthan Royals appointed Rahul Dravid as the head coach, but the former Indian cricketer parted ways with the franchise after the end of the 18th season of the IPL. In the 2012 and 2013 seasons of the IPL, Dravid also captained the Royals. Following that, he also served the franchise as the mentor in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

One of the biggest priorities that Sangakkara needs to fix is the Rajasthan Royals' captaincy, since Sanju Samson asked the franchise to release him after the end of the 2025 season. For the seven consecutive seasons, Samson has represented the Royals in the cash-rich tournament. Samson has played 177 IPL matches and 172 innings, scoring 4704 runs at a strike rate of 139.04 and an average of 30.94.

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Can RR Comeback After Poor IPL 2025 Season?

In IPL 2025, the Rajasthan Royals had a terrible season. The Royals finished the season in ninth place on the IPL 2025 standings with just eight points and a net run rate of -0.549. Out of 14 games, RR clinched just four wins and conceded 10 defeats.