Rahul Dravid signs deal with this franchise as Head Coach ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction

Former Team India head coach Rahul Dravid is reportedly set to return to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) as head coach for the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season. Rahul Dravid will join his former IPL franchise after completing his tenure as head coach with the India National Cricket Team.

Rahul Dravid has a strong connection with the Royals. He had been their captain in 2012 and 2013, before working as team director and mentor in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He later moved to Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in 2016. He became the head of the National Cricket Academy in 2019.

Dravid became the head coach of the Indian men's cricket team in late 2021. He led the team to three ICC finals during his tenure. Rahul concluded his stint with Team India after winning the T20 World Cup 2024 in in June. He decided not to apply for a second term to spend more time with his family.

Rahul Dravid To Join Rajasthan Royals Ahead Of IPL 2025

According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, Rahul Dravid has signed a deal with Rajasthan Royals for next year's tournament.

The former Indian skipper has started discussions on player retention in preparation for the upcoming mega auction, which is expected to take place later this year.

"Rahul Dravid recently signed a deal with the franchise and has had initial conversations on player retentions ahead of the upcoming mega auction. He has a long-standing working relationship with the RR captain Sanju Samson, who came through the under-19 ranks on Dravid's watch," a report by ESPNcricinfo said.

Rajasthan Royals To Hire Vikram Rathour As Assistant Coach

The report also added that the Royals are expected to hire former India batter Vikram Rathour as one of Dravid's assistant coaches. Meanwhile, Kumar Sangakkara will remain with the franchise as director of cricket and oversee the Paarl Royals in the SA20 and the Barbados Royals in the CPL.

"RR are also likely to sign former India batter Vikram Rathour as one of Dravid's assistant coaches. While Dravid will take charge of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, Kumar Sangakkara, who has been their director of cricket since 2021, will continue with their franchise and look after their teams in other leagues - Paarl Royals in the SA20 and Barbados Royals in the CPL," the report added.

The Rajasthan Royals have not won the IPL title since the inaugural season in 2008. They finished as runners-up in the 2022 season. RR failed to advance to the playoffs in the 2023 season. The Jaipur-based team was eliminated in Qualifier 2 in the most recent edition of the T20 tournament.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hasn't revealed the details on the number of retentions and the purse for the franchises before the IPL 2025 mega auction. The cricket board is likely to permit IPL franchises to retain about six players, including the Right to Match (RTM) option.

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