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 Royals 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. His ability to nurture young talent and elevate players' potential will be invaluable as we aim to further strengthen our squad and continue building a world-class team here at Rajasthan Royals," added the former India head coach.

Rathour said he was looking forward to working again with Dravid and contributing to the Royals' success.

"It's a privilege to be part of the Royals family. The opportunity to work again with Rahul, and now with a talented group of young cricketers, is hugely exciting," Rathour stated.

"I look forward to contributing to the team's vision and working toward our goal of developing top-class players for the Royals and for India which can help in winning championships."

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