What Kumar Sangakkara’s return as head coach means for Rajasthan Royals

Kumar Sangakkara is back as the head coach of Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2026, and will continue to serve as the Director of Cricket. The franchise announced the decision on Monday, and it has already created a lot of excitement among fans because Sangakkara’s first stint with RR brought some of the most consistent performances the team had seen in many years.

His return to the Royals comes at a crucial time, especially after a difficult season earlier this year under former India coach Rahul Dravid, who took over after helping the Men in Blue win the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Sangakkara now faces the challenge of rebuilding the franchise from scratch.

You’ve been waiting. This one’s for you.

🗣️Hear from Head Coach Kumar Sangakkara exclusively on our YouTube channel. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/p0emS82psU

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) November 17, 2025

More from First Cricket

India losing Test dominance at home as Gautam Gambhir tries to redefine the format with defensive thinking Why CSK turned down trade requests for Matheesha Pathirana but still released him from the squad

How Sangakkara’s first tenure transformed RR

Sangakkara first joined RR in 2021, and his entry marked the beginning of a new era for the team. Before he came in, the Royals had many seasons where they finished in the lower half, struggled with leadership, and relied too much on individual performances. Sangakkara brought a clear mindset, strong planning, and a modern approach to team management. Even though RR did not always finish on top, they looked more competitive compared to the years before.

The best example of his impact came in 2022, when RR reached the IPL final for the first time since their only title win in 2008. The team had been waiting 14 long years to reach that stage again. Although they lost the final by seven wickets to Gujarat Titans, the season was still considered a big success.

RR not only topped the league table but also managed to produce standout performers like Jos Buttler, who had a record-breaking season, and Yuzvendra Chahal, who proved his worth after being hastily discarded from Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Quick Reads

View All

'Won't require surgery...': Real reason behind Jasprit Bumrah's absence from 5th Test revealed in new report

PCB bans players from WCL over India-Pakistan match controversy

In 2023, the team finished fifth, just outside the playoffs. Even though they could not qualify, their season was not a failure because they put up a strong fight against most teams and only missed out because of a few narrow losses and the Net Run Rate factor. What impressed many was the way RR continued to follow a process. Sangakkara believed in backing players even when results were not perfect and he retained most of his starts from the previous season.

In 2024, the Royals returned to the playoffs and looked like one of the best teams again. They reached Qualifier 2, where they eventually lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by 36 runs. Still, it was their second playoff appearance in three years under Sangakkara, proving that they were improving and becoming a genuine top-four team again.

A rare setback after Sangakkara joined RR in 2021

This four-year period, from 2021 to 2024, showed that Sangakkara’s influence was not for a season or two. He helped the team play fearless cricket and created a culture where the players always thought they deserved to be in the race for the playoffs. They were no longer unpredictable or inconsistent like before. Instead, they were hungry and always wanted to win, traits that had been missing for many years after their legendary skipper Shane Warne left.

However, the 2025 season was very different for the entire franchise. With Sangakkara moving into more of an overseeing role and Rahul Dravid taking charge as the head coach, the Royals had high expectations, and understandably so, given the success he had achieved with the Indian team.

But the season turned into a nightmare. Dravid himself was coaching from a wheelchair after injuring his leg before the start of the season. Captain Sanju Samson was also injured, which hurt the balance of the team. Many of the younger players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, and Shimron Hetmyer could not maintain form. The bowling unit failed in pressure situations. As a result, the team ended the 2025 season in ninth place in the 10-team league, one of their worst finishes in recent years.

After the season, the franchise conducted a full “structural review” and decided that they needed stronger leadership in coaching. Dravid stepped aside, and RR turned back to the person who had given them success - Sangakkara. The decision shows that the franchise believes in him and feels that he is the right person to rebuild the team again from top to bottom.

Second innings for Sangakkara

Speaking about his return, Sangakkara said he was honoured to take up the head coach role again and that he is excited to work with a strong coaching group. “I’m honoured to return as head coach and continue working with this talented group. I’m also pleased to have a strong coaching team alongside me. Vikram Rathour, Trevor Penney, Shane Bond and Sid Lahiri each bring valuable experience in their areas, and together we are focused on preparing the players in the best possible way,” Sangakkara said.

But the biggest challenge in Sangakkara’s second tenure will be the change in team leadership. RR made a shocking move by trading long-time captain Sanju Samson to Chennai Super Kings in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran. Samson had been the face of the franchise for several years. Sangakkara now has to guide the team through this major transition. Choosing a new captain and integrating Jadeja and Curran will be some of his most important early tasks.

Another major responsibility for Sangakkara will be strengthening the squad through the IPL 2026 auction. With core players like Jaiswal, Hetmyer, Parag, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel, and Jofra Archer intact, RR will look to build a team around these players and will need better bowling options, which always play a major part in helping a team win the IPL title.

While Sangakkara’s first tenure showed he can create long-term success, the 48-year-old will hope to replicate the same this time around and take the team even further - maybe all the way to a second IPL title.