Sangakkara’s Royals role

THE Indian Premier League’s (IPL) Rajasthan Royals have appointed former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara as director of cricket for the 14th season of the world’s richest cricket league.

“Kumar brings a wealth of cricket knowledge both as a player and a leader,” Mike Fordham, Group CEO of Rajasthan Royals, said. “We are thrilled to have him join the team and we are confident that Kumar will motivate, challenge and inspire our players and coaches that will translate to success on the field.”

Sangakkara (above right) is considered one of the legends of the modern game, having scored over 28,000 runs in his 16-year career.

The Sri Lankan said he was excited about the new challenge.

“To oversee the cricket strategy of a franchise in the leading cricket competition in the world... is an opportunity that really motivated me,” Kumar said in a statement.

The appointment comes days after Royals released Australian star Steve Smith and announced Sanju Samson as the new captain, ahead of next month’s pre-tournament player auction.

Samson played 14 matches in the 2020 IPL – played behind closed doors in the UAE because of the pandemic – scoring 311 runs.

The Royals have retained England stars Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer. The team was captained by Smith, who hauled them off the bottom of the eightteam league.

The IPL, which attracts stars from around the globe, is expected to start in April.