New Delhi. IPL team Rajasthan Royals have appointed former India batting coach Vikram Rathour as the team’s new batting coach. The move reunites Rathour, a former India opener and selector, with Rahul Dravid at the franchise, before his stint with the national team ended with the Men’s T20 World Cup triumph in June.
Rathore said in a statement released by the franchise, “It is a privilege to be a part of the Royals family. The opportunity to work with Rahul again, and now with a talented group of young cricketers, is extremely exciting. I look forward to contributing to the team’s vision and working towards our goal of developing top-class players for the Royals and India who can help win championships.”
Rathour played six Tests and seven ODIs for India before becoming the team’s batting coach from 2019 to 2024. His tenure saw batsmen such as Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul rise to prominence in the national team across formats.
RR head coach Rahul Dravid said, “Having worked closely with Vikram for several years, I can confidently say that his technical expertise, calm demeanour and deep understanding of Indian conditions make him a perfect fit for the Royals.”
Dravid said, “Together, we have built a strong synergy, leading India to significant successes, and I am thrilled to be reunited with him. His ability to nurture young talent and maximize the potential of players will be invaluable as we aim to further strengthen our squad and continue to build Rajasthan Royals into a world-class team.”
Before joining the Indian team as batting coach in 2019, Rathore also served as a national selector for four years. He also coached Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in domestic cricket and also worked with Punjab Kings in the IPL.
Recently, Rathore was a member of New Zealand’s support staff for the one-off Test against Afghanistan in Greater Noida, which ended without a single ball being bowled due to persistent rain and wet outfield.
Image Credit: Khas-Khabar.