Rahul Dravid has made a comeback in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has been appointed as the head coach of Rajasthan Royals (RR). After his contract with the Indian Men’s team ended in June. The team won the T20 World Cup for the second time. He was rumoured to join some of the IPL franchises. However, he has returned to his former franchise.
The former Royals captain spent five seasons with the Men in Pink as a player and coach. His coaching tenure was just a year in 2014. Previously has held different roles with the India U-19 team as well as at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. There were rumours of Kumar Sangakkara leaving the side after the announcement of Dravid as their head coach. But RR has clarified that Sangakkara will continue as the Director of Cricket.
The former India head coach will join RR’s director of cricket Sangakkara to implement the franchise’s overall cricketing strategy. It will be Dravid’s first professional job since his three-year tenure as the head coach of the senior national men’s team. The auction strategies and plans will be very crucial as they failed to win the silverware last season despite being on top of the table for most season.
Rahul Dravid to transform Rajasthan Royals
Will Rahul Dravid end the Royals trophy drought? The Royals have made the IPL playoffs only twice in the last six seasons. However, they began to show more consistency in recent years, reaching the final in 2022 and the playoffs in 2024, finishing third under Sanju Samson’s captaincy. However the silverware has been missing from their cabinet after they won the inaugural season in 2008.
Sangakkara said, “Rahul is one of the greatest players to have played the game, but what he has achieved over the past decade as a coach is extraordinary. The characteristics that he possesses as a coach to nurture talent but also enable them to consistently perform at the highest level, will allow the Rajasthan Royals to further challenge for the title.”
