After Rahul Dravid stepped down as head coach of the Rajasthan Royals last month, Kumar Sangakkara is expected to take over again. Former India captain Dravid took over as head coach last year after Sangakkara, who was the team's head coach from 2021 to 2024, was promoted as director of cricket.
However, Dravid chose to leave the team after a season that was filled with controversies and he declined a "broader" involvement with the team.
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Sangakkara was widely regarded as the top choice for head coach. During his three-year stint, the former Sri Lanka captain led the Royals to the IPL final in 2022 and the playoffs in 2024. While the 2008 champions did not clinch the title, his tenure helped blend seasoned campaigners with emerging talent.
“With Rahul moving on, Sangakkara was always going to be the first choice, and that’s what has happened,” a source aware of the development said, reported Sportstar.
It has also been learned that Shane Bond and Vikram Rathour will remain as bowling and batting coaches, respectively.
Resolving the captaincy issue will be Sangakkara's biggest obstacle. Following rumors that Sanju Samson is not interested in continuing for the franchise, there appears to be a lack of clarity on the team's leader.
Ahead of the auction, Sangakkara and the Royals’ management must finalize a captaincy choice and regroup the squad. Despite having standout players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel, the team struggled in last year’s tournament, and Sangakkara will be keen to steer them back on track.
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