Sangakkara, 48, previously served as the Royals’ head coach from 2021 to 2024 before Rahul Dravid took over for the 2025 season. However, following the conclusion of the last edition of the tournament, the franchise confirmed that Dravid would not continue in the role. Under Sangakkara, RR reached the 2022 final and qualified for the playoffs in 2024.
Under Dravid, the Royals finished ninth on the points table in IPL 2025, with just 8 points from 14 games. The entire IPL 2025 campaign was marred by conjecture, as the rumour mills were rife with speculation about a possible rift between Dravid and Sanju Samson, which was eventually denied.
