India’s World Cup-winning batting coach Vikram Rathour has been appointed as the batting coach of the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League. This follows Rahul Dravid’s appointment as the team’s head coach, a significant appointment considering the legend’s successful coaching tenure with the Indian men’s team that culminated in a T20 World Cup victory. Rathour and Dravid, who together served as coaches for the Indian team, will work together once more to determine Royal’s destiny in the upcoming seasons.
Rathour’s international career was brief, but he was crucial to India’s recent triumphs and is most remembered for developing the country’s future generation of batters. Dravid was happy to hear that Rathour had been appointed, and he believed they might repeat their India days of success.
“Having worked closely with Vikram for many years, I can confidently say that his technical expertise, calm demeanor, and deep understanding of Indian conditions make him a perfect fit for the Royals,” said Dravid. “Together, we’ve built a strong rapport, guiding India to key successes, and I’m thrilled to reunite with him. His ability to nurture young talent and elevate players’ potential will be invaluable as we aim to further strengthen our squad and continue building a world-class team here at Rajasthan Royals.”
In terms of coaching arrangement, Dravid and Rathour’s objective isn’t all that different from their times with the Indian setup. India had not won an ICC Trophy since 2013 before this year’s triumphs, despite coming close several times, and had not won a T20 World Cup since 2007. In contrast, the Royals’ lone IPL championship occurred during the IPL’s inaugural season in 2008. The team has underperformed throughout the years, but since Sanju Samson assumed the captaincy duties, there has been an improvement.
When they came in second to the eventual winners, Gujarat Titans, in 2022, RR came closest to winning a second championship. Rathour expressed similar views to Dravid regarding the objectives of Rajasthan Royals and expressed the hope that their new association would be as successful as their old one.
“It’s a privilege to be part of the Royals family. The opportunity to work again with Rahul, and now with a talented group of young cricketers, is hugely exciting. I look forward to contributing to the team’s vision and working toward our goal of developing top-class players for the Royals and for India which can help in winning championships.”
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