‘I don’t have time to commit full-time’- “I have not been approached and I don’t have time to commit full-time to an India coaching job. Happy with my stint with Royals and let’s see how it goes,” Sangakkara said.

(Credit IPL RR)

Following the culmination of the forthcoming T20 World Cup 2024, there will be a transition in the coaching setup of the Indian men’s senior cricket team. Rahul Dravid, the current head coach, will be stepping down from his role after the tournament, leaving a vacancy to be filled. The BCCI is actively searching for a suitable replacement.

Several names, including Gautam Gambhir, Stephen Fleming, and others, have emerged as potential candidates. Among them is Kumar Sangakkara, the former Sri Lankan cricketer and current head coach of the Rajasthan Royals, who has reportedly been considered for the position.

However, the ex-cricketer has made it clear that he won’t be contending for the role, stating that he lacks the availability required for a full-time international coaching position.

“I haven’t received any approach, and I simply don’t have the capacity to dedicate myself entirely to a coaching role with India. I’m content with my current responsibilities with the Royals, and we’ll see how things unfold,” Sangakkara shared during a press conference following qualifier 2 of the IPL 2024.

It’s notable that Kumar Sangakkara has achieved notable success with the Rajasthan Royals, guiding them to a final appearance in 2022 and securing a spot in the playoffs again in 2024.

Sangakkara has praised Sandeep’s remarkable performance, describing it as outstanding for their team.

Rajasthan Royals’ journey in the IPL 2024 reached its conclusion following their elimination from the tournament in qualifier 2. The former champions battled against Sunrisers Hyderabad in a crucial showdown for a berth in the final. Despite Rajasthan’s determined display, Hyderabad clinched victory.

Post-match, Kumar Sangakkara lauded Rajasthan’s bowling performance, highlighting Sandeep Sharma’s spell and emphasizing his invaluable contribution to the franchise.

“I think it’s just a case of changing his role. We always knew that a lot of sides used him upfront, but with his pace and skill, we identified that he will be very, very effective for us in the middle and at the back end,” Sangakkara said.

“We didn’t have the services of Prasidh Krishna again. Navdeep Saini was injured, and he was coming back from a big shoulder injury and came [in] halfway through the season. For two seasons now, Sandeep has been absolutely outstanding for us,” he added.