Follow UsSri Lankan great Kumar Sangakkara is set to fill in Rahul Dravid’s shoes as Rajasthan Royals’ new head coach for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, according to ESPNCricinfo. Sangakkara returns to a familiar job, with the Sri Lankan coaching the Royals setup for four straight seasons, from 2021 to 2024.
In 2025, the franchise named Dravid as their new head coach in a multi-year deal. However, that partnership ended abruptly after just one year, as Dravid walked away from the franchise following a controversy-filled season.
According to ESPNCricinfo, Sangakkara has already started planning for the upcoming IPL 2026 auction, where the Royals have a lot of holes to fill. In the wake of their poor season, their long-time skipper, Sanju Samson, has also asked for his departure from the franchise, which leaves them in a troubled boat.
There’s no clarity whether Samson will continue or the Royals will name a new skipper, with both Riyan Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal emerging as top contenders to take over the reins.
The publication also reported that former Indian batting coach Vikram Rathour will continue in his role as the franchise’s assistant coach. Meanwhile, Shane Bond too will continue as the inaugural IPL winners’ bowling coach.