IPL 2026: Kumar Sangakkara to Becomes Rajasthan Royals Head Coach After Rahul Dravid’s Departure

Kumar Sangakkara is expected to take over as Rajasthan Royals‘ head coach, following Rahul Dravid’s departure, according to reports. Sangakkara has been RR’s Director of Cricket since 2021.

Sangakkara has previously served as head coach alongside the Director of Cricket role for four seasons. Under him, RR reached the playoffs twice and made it to the IPL final in 2022, losing to Gujarat Titans. In 2023, RR finished fifth but lost in Qualifier 2.

Rahul Dravid had joined RR as head coach after India won the 2024 T20 World Cup. He signed a multi-year deal but stepped down after a structural review of the franchise ahead of IPL 2026.

RR released a statement thanking Dravid, saying he had shaped the team’s culture and influenced a generation of players.

Sangakkara now faces a challenging task, especially with captain Sanju Samson indicating he wants to leave.

Samson, a key player for RR, was retained for ₹18 crore before the 2025 mega auction but played only nine matches this season due to a side strain. RR finished ninth in IPL 2025.

Sangakkara will need to find a capable replacement for the captain and rebuild the team ahead of IPL 2026.