IPL – Vikram Rathour joins Rajasthan Royals as batting coach

Rathour’s move comes after a five-year stint with the Indian team, where he worked with Ravi Shastri and later with Dravid. In June, Rathour’s contract expired shortly after India’s victory in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.

“Having worked closely with Vikram for many years, I can say with confidence that his expertise, calm demeanor, and deep understanding of Indian conditions make him the perfect fit for the Royals,” Dravid said in a statement.

“Together, we have built a strong relationship, guided India to significant success, and I am delighted to be reunited with him. His ability to nurture young talent and elevate the skills of players will be invaluable as we aim to strengthen our squad and continue to build a world-class team here at Rajasthan Royals.”

This will be Rathour’s second time playing in the IPL, he was previously part of the coaching staff of Punjab Kings. He was the director of cricket in Himachal Pradesh earlier.

“The opportunity to work with Rahul again, and now with a talented group of young cricketers, is very exciting,” said Rathour. “I look forward to contributing to the team’s vision and working towards our goal of developing top quality players for the Royals and India who can help win titles.”

During that time, Rathour was the cheapest run scorer for Punjab, scoring most of his 11,473 first-class runs against them. His international career was very short; he played six Tests and seven ODIs between 1996 and 1997.