Sports: According to media reports, former cricketer and Team India head coach Rahul Dravid has accepted an offer to join Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR) as head coach for the upcoming IPL 2025. Rahul Dravid’s association with RR is not new. He captained the team in 2012 and 2013 and served as team director and mentor in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The move comes after his stint as India coach ended after the 2024 T20 World Cup win in June. Dravid has already signed a deal with RR and has begun discussions on retaining players ahead of the mega auction.
In 2016, he moved to Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) before becoming the head of the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru in 2019. He was appointed the head coach of the India men’s team in 2021, ending his tenure with an ICC title after 11 years. Dravid’s old relationship with Sanju SamsonDravid has a long-standing working relationship with RR captain Sanju Samson. Samson rose through the Under-19 ranks under Dravid’s guidance, making his rejoining RR much anticipated. The partnership is expected to bring a new energy to the team.
Apart from Dravid,
Former India batsman Vikram Rathore is likely to join RR as Dravid’s assistant coach. Rathore, who was part of Dravid’s coaching staff at the NCA, became India’s batting coach in 2019. His joining is expected to strengthen RR’s coaching setup. Kumar Sangakkara’s continued roleWhile Dravid will lead RR in the IPL, Kumar Sangakkara will continue as their Director of Cricket. Sangakkara will also oversee their teams in other leagues including the Paarl Royals in the SA20 and the Barbados Royals in the CPL. The arrangement is aimed at maintaining uniformity across all the franchises under the Royals umbrella. RR have not won an IPL title since winning their inaugural season in 2008. Their closest attempt was in 2022 when they finished runners-up to Gujarat Titans. Despite a strong start in 2023, they finished fifth and missed the playoffs but managed to reach Qualifier 2 in 2024.
