Rahul Dravid is making a notable return to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) as their head coach ahead of the 2025 IPL season. This move comes after the conclusion of his successful stint as the head coach of the Indian national team, which saw him guiding India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup in June.
According to ESPNcricinfo, Dravid has recently finalized a deal with the Royals and is already engaged in preliminary discussions regarding player retentions for the forthcoming mega auction. Dravid has a well-established rapport with RR’s captain, Sanju Samson, who progressed through the under-19 ranks under Dravid’s mentorship.
Rahul Dravid’s association with RR is rooted in history. He captained the team during the 2012 and 2013 IPL seasons and served as team director and mentor in 2014 and 2015. After a stint with Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) from 2016 to 2018, Dravid took on the role of head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. I
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n 2021, he was appointed as head coach of the Indian men’s team and concluded his tenure with their first ICC title in over a decade. There are also reports suggesting that former India batter Vikram Rathour, a former India selector and a key member of Dravid’s coaching team at the NCA, is set to join him as one of the assistant coaches for RR.
STORY | Rahul Dravid set to be appointed Rajasthan Royals head coach for IPL 2025
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While Dravid will take charge of the Rajasthan Royals, Kumar Sangakkara, who has been the franchise’s director of cricket since 2021, will continue his role, overseeing RR’s operations in other leagues, including Paarl Royals in the SA20 and Barbados Royals in the CPL.
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The Royals, who have not won the IPL title since its inaugural season in 2008, had their best finish in 2022 as runners-up to Gujarat Titans. They missed the playoffs in 2023 but made it to Qualifier 2 in 2024 before being knocked out.
