Rahul Dravid, the legendary Indian cricketer and current head coach of the Indian men’s team, is set to return to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) as head coach for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. This move comes after Dravid’s tenure as India coach concludes following the 2024 T20 World Cup in June.
Dravid has a long-standing relationship with RR, having served as their captain in 2012 and 2013, and as team director and mentor in 2014 and 2015. He also has a close working relationship with RR captain Sanju Samson, who came through the under-19 ranks under Dravid’s guidance.
According to sources, Dravid recently signed a deal with RR and has already begun initial conversations on player retentions ahead of the upcoming mega auction. It is also understood that former India batter Vikram Rathour is likely to join Dravid’s coaching staff as an assistant coach. Rathour, a former India selector, worked with Dravid at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) before becoming India’s batting coach in 2019.
While Dravid will take charge of RR in the IPL, Kumar Sangakkara, who has been their director of cricket since 2021, will continue with the franchise and oversee their teams in other leagues, including the Paarl Royals in the SA20 and the Barbados Royals in the CPL.
RR have not won the IPL title since the inaugural season in 2008, but they came close in 2022 when they finished runners-up to the Gujarat Titans. They failed to make the playoffs in 2023 but bounced back in 2024, reaching Qualifier 2 before being eliminated.
Dravid’s return to RR is expected to bring stability and experience to the franchise, which has been searching for a consistent run of success in recent years. His vast knowledge of the game and his ability to nurture young talent will be invaluable assets for RR as they look to challenge for the IPL title once again.
