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Key Takeaways
- 1📊 Rathour contracted from Jan 18 to Mar 10 for Sri Lanka’s T20 WC push
- 2🏆 Former India batting coach and current Rajasthan Royals assistant
- 3💡 Appointment mirrors R Sridhar’s World Cup-specific fielding role
- 4🔮 Sri Lanka hope his IPL and India experience lifts a tricky Group B campaign
"The former India coach's tenure with Sri Lanka will go on from January 18 to March 10"
Sri Lanka have pulled off a smart backroom signing, bringing in former India batting coach Vikram Rathour on a consultancy basis to sharpen their batting ahead of the Men's T20 World Cup 2026 on home soil.
Short, high-impact stint for ex-India batting coach
Rathour’s tenure runs from January 18 to March 10, covering the entire World Cup window. It’s a clear, tournament-specific move: use an experienced international coach to iron out technical glitches and bring clarity to roles under high-pressure conditions.
The 56-year-old Rathour, who played for India in the 90s, built his reputation as a modern batting mentor during his stint with the Indian men’s team from September 2019 to July 2024. Under his watch, India’s white-ball batting became more fearless yet structured, with youngsters blending seamlessly around senior pillars.
He is also currently lead assistant coach at Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, where he works closely with both Indian and overseas stars in a data-driven environment. That IPL experience – reading match-ups, optimising powerplays, and finishing phases – is exactly what Sri Lanka’s evolving T20 side needs.
Interestingly, this is the second major Indian link in their staff, coming soon after R Sridhar joined as fielding coach on another World Cup-focused deal. With Sri Lanka grouped alongside Ireland, Zimbabwe, Australia and Oman, the challenge will be converting preparation into results from their opener against Ireland in Colombo on February 8.
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