Sri Lanka Set To Appoint India's World Cup-Winning Coach For T20 World Cup 2026: Report

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is reportedly closing in on appointing former India opener Vikram Rathour as their new batting coach ahead of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

The 55-year-old, who played a pivotal role in India's T20 World Cup triumph in 2024 as part of Rahul Dravid's coaching staff, is believed to be the frontrunner for the role as Sri Lanka look to strengthen their backroom team ahead of a hectic white-ball calendar.

Rathour, currently serving as the assistant coach of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, was India's batting coach between 2022 and 2024. Under his guidance, India improved significantly in their approach to T20 batting, culminating in a long-awaited global title in the Caribbean in 2024. Discussions between Rathour and SLC are said to be progressing positively, and if an agreement is reached, he could join the Sri Lankan squad before their home T20I series against Pakistan.

Sri Lanka are gearing up for an intense lead-up to the global tournament, hosting Pakistan for a three-match T20I series followed by a six-match white-ball series against England comprising three ODIs and three T20Is. Rathour's potential arrival is expected to bring stability and experience to a young Sri Lankan batting unit that has shown flashes of promise but has struggled for consistency in recent years.

If appointed, Rathour would become the second former India coach to join Sri Lanka's support staff in the build-up to the T20 World Cup. In December, SLC named former India fielding coach R Sridhar as their men's team fielding coach until the conclusion of the tournament.

Sridhar, who served India from 2014 to 2021, had also conducted a 10-day training programme for Sri Lankan players in May last year. He is scheduled to officially link up with the squad on January 15 as per several media reports.

The addition of two experienced Indian coaches-both with World Cup-winning credentials-signals Sri Lanka's intent to overhaul their preparation for the marquee event. With Rathour's proven track record in nurturing batting talent and his familiarity with subcontinental conditions, Sri Lanka appear keen to tap into his expertise as they aim for a strong showing at home in the 2026 T20 World Cup.