Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has announced the appointment of Vikram Rathour, former batting coach of the Indian national team, as a consultant batting coach for the Sri Lankan national team. This strategic move is aimed at bolstering the team's preparation for the upcoming ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. Rathour's consultancy period will commence on January 18, 2026, and conclude on March 10, 2026, covering the crucial build-up and initial stages of the tournament. Rathour brings extensive experience from his previous role as India's all-format batting coach, a position he held from September 2019 to July 2024. During his tenure with India, the team achieved significant success, including winning the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup and being runners-up in the 2023 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup. In addition to his international coaching background, Rathour currently serves as the lead assistant coach for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL). This appointment follows a trend of Sri Lanka Cricket bringing in experienced former Indian coaching staff, with fielding coach R. Sridhar also recently appointed on a similar consultancy basis for the World Cup. Sri Lanka is grouped in Group B for the T20 World Cup, facing Ireland, Zimbabwe, Australia, and Oman, with their campaign starting on February 8 against Ireland in Colombo. The T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.