'Loyal' Rahul Dravid rejected IPL giants’ blank cheques to join Rajasthan Royals

Former India National Cricket Team head coach Rahul Dravid will be returning to action soon as the head coach of a team. The ex-national team captain was appointed as the head coach of the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the mega auction.

Rahul Dravid, for the last few years, has been the head coach of the India National Cricket Team. The former captain of the team left the side after the T20 World Cup 2024, which the Rohit Sharma-led side won under him by beating South Africa in the final of the tournament at Barbados.

After his tenure with the India National Cricket Team ended, he came into the news, and there were reports that he would be taking up a role in the Indian Premier League. Although it was only Rajasthan Royals in the news the recent report in the Cricbuzz has suggested something different.

As per the reports, it is learned that some of the high-profile franchises of the Indian Premier League were keen to hand a blank cheque to Dravid to work with them. However, the former India National Cricket Team head coach stayed loyal to Rajasthan Royals, a franchise which he played for.

Rajasthan Royals acquired Dravid in the Indian Premier in 2011, and after that, he captained the team in 2012 and 2013. Following his retirement, he became the mentor of the team and Director of Cricket in 2014 and 2015. However, after that franchise was banned, he moved to Delhi Capitals, where he stayed till 2018.

Rahul Dravid, who is one of the best cricketing minds, will be a massive factor for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League. The head coach would want to change the fortunes of the team and help them win their second title, having won the first title in 2008.

Rahul Dravid had a successful stint with the India National Cricket Team as a head coach. He made the team consistent in all three formats as they reached the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022 and then also reached the final of the ICC World Test Championship 2023 and ICC World Cup 2023 before winning the T20 World Cup 2024.

We are delighted to be bringing Rahul Dravid back to the franchise - Rajasthan Royals CEO Jake Lush McCrum

Rajasthan Royals CEO Jake Lush McCrum welcomed Rahul Dravid to the franchise, saying that they are delighted to bring the former India head coach back. While highlighting Dravid’s relationship with the franchise, he said that fans would be excited to see him back in team colors. He added:

"We are delighted to be bringing Rahul back to the franchise. His exceptional coaching capabilities are evident with the transformation he's driven in Indian cricket. He also has a deep connection to the franchise, and we've seen that passion come through in all our conversations.

"His expertise in getting the best out of both younger and experienced talent, along with the values with which he operates, align seamlessly with our franchise, and just a quick skim of social media tells me the fans will be excited to see him back with us," he concluded.