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Rajasthan Royals appoints
Kumar Sangakkara as head coach for IPL 2026: Rajasthan Royals, the most popular
franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has made a major announcement.
The team has appointed Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara as head coach for the
IPL 2026 season. This news has generated excitement among cricket fans, as
Sangakkara is already the Director of Cricket for Rajasthan Royals. Let's
explore this appointment in detail. Kumar Sangakkara is a former
Sri Lankan captain and one of the greatest batsmen in world cricket. He played
134 Tests, 404 ODIs, and 56 T20Is. Sangakkara scored over 12,400 runs in Test
cricket, including 38 centuries. He has 14,234 runs in ODIs, placing him at the
top of the list of Sri Lanka's all-time leading batsmen. Sangakkara is a member
of the ICC Hall of Fame and has also served as President of the Marylebone
Cricket Club (MCC). In his coaching career, he previously worked with the
England team and has now been associated with the Rajasthan Royals for a long
time. Kumar Sangakkara has been serving as the Director of Cricket for the
Rajasthan Royals since 2021, where he has strengthened the team's strategy.
Rajasthan Royals have decided
to appoint Kumar Sangakkara as head coach for IPL 2026. Previously, Rahul
Dravid served as head coach until IPL 2025, but now Sangakkara will assume full
responsibility. Team owner Manoj Badole said, "Sangakkara's cricketing
understanding and leadership skills are unmatched. We will reach new heights
under his leadership in IPL 2026." In addition to Sangakkara, the
Rajasthan Royals' IPL 2026 coaching staff will include Vikram Rathour as
batting coach and Shane Bond as bowling coach. These changes will strengthen
the team ahead of the mega auction.
Ahead of the IPL 2026 mega
auction, Rajasthan Royals have retained Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, and
Dhruv Jurel. Under Kumar Sangakkara's coaching, the team will create a perfect
blend of youth and experienced players. Stars like Jos Buttler and Trent Boult
are expected to return to the Rajasthan Royals IPL 2026 player list.
Sangakkara's strategy has always focused on aggressive cricket. In 2008,
Rajasthan Royals won their first IPL title under Shane Warne's captaincy. Now,
under Sangakkara's leadership, Rajasthan Royals are considered strong
contenders to become the IPL 2026 champions.
Kumar Sangakkara emphasizes
the mental strength of players in his coaching. During his tenure with Rajasthan
Royals, the team reached the final of IPL 2022. As head coach of Rajasthan
Royals, Kumar Sangakkara will strengthen spin bowling and top-order batting.
This strategy will prove effective on Rajasthan's spin-friendly pitches.
The journey of Rajasthan
Royals coaches in IPL history has been quite interesting. In 2008, Shane Warne
was the head coach, and the team won its first IPL title under his leadership.
Kumar Sangakkara then served as Director of Cricket from 2021 to 2023, during
which the team reached the playoffs. Rahul Dravid became head coach in
2024-2025, and the team again reached the playoffs. Now, Kumar Sangakkara has
been appointed head coach for 2026, and fans are hopeful that he will lead the
team to its second IPL title.
Teams like the Mumbai Indians
and Chennai Super Kings will be strong in IPL 2026. But Rajasthan Royals will
be starting afresh with Kumar Sangakkara in IPL 2026. Smart purchases in the
mega auction and the development of young players will be key to the team's
success.
The appointment of Kumar
Sangakkara will inject new energy into the Rajasthan Royals. This news of
Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara in IPL 2026 is a joy for fans.
Will Sangakkara be able to lead the team to its second IPL title?