Kumar Sangakkara back to helm Rajasthan Royals' coaching staff

Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara will return to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a lead role to helm the coaching staff after the exit of Rahul Dravid as head coach recently. ESPNcricinfo has learned that Sangakkara, who has been RR's Director of Cricket since 2021, is firming up the position with the franchise, even as he has already informally started planning for the 2026 season.

Since he joined RR in 2021, Sangakkara doubled up as the head coach, and, under his watch, the Sanju Samson-led franchise made the playoffs twice in four seasons. In 2022, RR reached the final for the first time since they won the IPL in the inaugural season in 2008, but lost to Gujarat Titans. After finishing fifth in 2023, RR reached the playoffs the following season, when they lost in Qualifier 2. Dravid, who was RR's captain in 2012 and 2013, and then mentor in 2014 and 2015, was hired as head coach by the franchise immediately after he won the 2024 T20 World Cup as India's head coach.

Although Dravid had signed a multi-year contract, his stint was short-lived, as he parted ways with RR recently. In a media statement issued in August, RR said that based on a structural review of the franchise post the 2025 season, where they secured just four wins in 14 matches, Dravid was "offered a broader position" but he had "chosen not to take".

The biggest priority for Sangakkara will be sorting RR's captaincy after Samson asked the franchise to release him after the 2025 season. It is understood Samson, 30, told the franchise that he wanted a change and hence be released. Suffering a side strain early during the 2025 season, Samson played only nine matches, and had to endure the disappointment of watching RR end ninth on the points table despite being in the winning position several times.

Samson, who is the most experienced player in RR's ranks, was among the six players retained ahead of the 2025 mega auction at a price tag of INR 18 crore (USD 2.14 million approx.).

While RR did cast the net with several franchises offering Samson as a trade in player swap, they have not been successful. Officially, RR have not made any comment on releasing Samson. The IPL retention deadline normally is end of November, but franchises are still waiting for a firm date.

It is also learned RR will retain former India batter Vikram Rathour as the assistant coach, and that former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond is likely to continue as the bowling coach. While Bond moved to RR from Mumbai Indians in 2024, Rathour, who had been assistant coach with India under Ravi Shastri and Dravid, joined ahead of 2025. It is understood that the pair of Trevor Penney and Siddhartha Lahiri, who were part of Sangakkara's support staff at RR previously, is also set to return.