IPL 2025: Rahul Dravid Joins Rajasthan Royals As Head Coach

Former cricketer and team India head coach, Rahul Dravid has accepted the offer to join as head coach for Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR) for the upcoming IPL 2025, according to media reports.

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.

This move follows his tenure as India coach, which concluded after the 2024 T20 World Cup win in June. Dravid has already signed a deal with RR and has begun discussions on player retentions ahead of the mega auction.

In 2016, he moved to Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) before becoming head of the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru in 2019. He was appointed head coach of the India men's team in 2021, ending his stint with an ICC title after 11 years.

Dravid's Long-Standing Relationship with Sanju Samson

Dravid shares a long-standing working relationship with RR captain Sanju Samson. Samson came through the under-19 ranks under Dravid's guidance, making their reunion at RR highly anticipated. This partnership is expected to bring a fresh dynamic to the team.

In addition to Dravid, former India batter Vikram Rathour is likely to join RR as one of Dravid's assistant coaches. Rathour, who was part of Dravid's coaching staff at NCA, became India's batting coach in 2019. His inclusion is expected to bolster RR's coaching setup.

Kumar Sangakkara's Continued Role

While Dravid will take charge of RR in the IPL, Kumar Sangakkara will continue as their director of cricket. Sangakkara will oversee their teams in other leagues, including Paarl Royals in SA20 and Barbados Royals in CPL. This arrangement aims to maintain consistency across all franchises under the Royals' umbrella.

RR has not won an IPL title since their inaugural season victory in 2008. Their closest attempt was in 2022 when they finished as runners-up to Gujarat Titans. Despite a strong start in 2023, they finished fifth and missed out on the playoffs but managed to reach Qualifier 2 in 2024.