jaipur: Rajasthan Royals on Friday announced the appointment of former India opener Vikram Rathour as their batting coach ahead of the IPL 2025.
Rathour, 55, is the second high-profile appointment by the franchise for the upcoming season after they roped in Rahul Dravid as their chief coach.
Rathour served as India’s batting coach in the set-up under Dravid as they guided Rohit Sharma and Co to victory in the T20 World Cup earlier this year.
“Rathour, a seasoned cricket professional, joins the Royals’ coaching setup shortly after the franchise welcomed Rahul Dravid back as head coach,” Rajasthan said in a statement. “It will reignite a successful partnership that elevated India to the top of the rankings in all three formats during their stint together, and led the country to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 title earlier this year.”
Rathour has played six Tests and seven ODIs and has 33 first-class centuries to his name.
He was India’s batting coach from 2019 till 2023, during which he guided players like Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill, and KL Rahul through crucial phases of their development.
“Having worked closely with Vikram for many years, I can confidently say that his technical expertise, calm demeanour, and deep understanding of Indian conditions make him a perfect fit for the Royals,” said Dravid. “Together, we’ve built a strong rapport, guiding India to key successes, and I’m thrilled to reunite with him.”agencies