Rahul Dravid to be appointed head coach of Rajasthan Royals

Former Indian captain and World Cup winning coach Rahul Dravid is set to coach Rajasthan Royals ahead of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

According to news reports and sources, Dravid is in advanced talks with the franchise, including decisions on player retention and the players’ mega auction.

This will be Dravid’s second stint in the coaching unit for Rajasthan Royals after being their mentor for the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He was a player for Rajasthan Royals from 2011 to 2013.

Rajasthan Royals did not have a dedicated coach for the 2024 edition of the IPL. Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara was their director of cricket while Trevor Penny and Shane Bond worked with the team as assistant coaches.

The Sanju Samson-led team had a good league phase where they topped the chart and ultimately lost to eventual finalist Sunrisers Hyderabad in the playoffs by 36 runs.

RR might also sign former India batter and former Indian team’s batting coach Vikram Rathour as Dravid’s deputy. Rathour was also a part of the Indian cricket team’s selection committee and worked under Dravid at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and in the Indian team.

Dravid is pipped to oversee the coaching duties of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL while Kumar Sangakkara will oversee the coaching duties for Paarl Royals in the SA20 and Barbados Royals in the CPL, the other franchise units of the Royals group.

It is also understood that Paras Mhambrey, the former Indian team’s bowling coach, could also align with the franchise.

Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008 and their next best finish was in 2022 where they lost to Gujarat Titans in the final.