Rahul Dravid set to join his former IPL franchise as Head Coach from IPL 2025
Published - 23 Jul 2024, 11:09 AM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:16 AM
Former India cricket coach Rahul Dravid is reportedly in discussions to return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) for next year's tournament. As per the latest news reports, Rahul Dravid is in talks with his former franchise, Rajasthan Royals (RR), to become the head coach of the team for the IPL 2025 season.
Rahul Dravid concluded his tenure as the head coach of the Indian men's team after the T20 World Cup 2024 victory. He guided the Indian team to the No. 1 ranking in Tests and ODIs. Dravid also played a crucial role in helping India reach the finals of the 2023 ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship.
There has been widespread speculation about which IPL franchise the 51-year-old might join. Rumors suggested he could join the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), especially with Gautam Gambhir taking over as India's head coach. However, no official confirmation has been made about Dravid's return to the IPL.
Rahul Dravid To Join Rajasthan Royals Ahead Of IPL 2024 - Report
According to a report by the Times of India, Rahul Dravid is all set to join the Rajasthan Royals as head coach ahead of the IPL 2025 season, with an announcement expected soon. The former Indian skipper has a long-standing relationship with the Royals, having previously served as both captain and mentor.
"Talks are going on between RR and Dravid, and an announcement in this regard is around the corner," a reliable source told TOI.
Kumar Sangakkara currently holds the positions of head coach and Director of Cricket for the Rajasthan Royals, who have not won the IPL since the inaugural edition in 2008. However, there is uncertainty about whether the franchise will retain Sangakkara or relieve him if Rahul Dravid joins as head coach.
Rahul Dravid led the Rajasthan Royals team to the IPL playoffs in 2013 and the Champions League T20 final. He guided the Jaipur-based team to 23 wins out of 40 matches. After retiring, Dravid served as the team's mentor for two seasons before becoming the head coach of India's U-19 and 'A' teams.
Zubin Bharucha, Rajasthan Royals' Director of High Performance, is currently conducting a week-long batting master class for Sri Lankan players in Colombo. Bharucha has significantly contributed to the development of players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel.
“I’m assisting Sri Lanka Cricket coaches in how they are setting up practice -from the academy to the international players,” Bharucha was quoted as saying.
The Rajasthan Royals did not win their second IPL title despite having a strong squad. The team had one final and one playoff appearance over three years following a successful mega auction in 2022. In the 2024 season, they started well but faltered towards the end, missing a top-two finish and losing to SunRisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2.
