Rajasthan Royals appoint former Sangakkara as director

The Indian Premier League’s Rajasthan Royals have appointed former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara as director of cricket for the fourteenth season of the world’s richest cricket league, according to AFP.

“Kumar brings a wealth of cricket knowledge both as a player and a leader,” Mike Fordham, Group CEO of Rajasthan Royals, said in a statement.

“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,” he added.

Kumar 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 batsman Steve Smith and announced Sanju Samson as the new captain, days before next month’s pre-tournament player auction.

The IPL is expected to start in April.

The venues, and whether the tournament will even be held in India, still hasn’t been finalized because of the pandemic.