IPL 2025: Rahul Dravid Set To Return To Rajasthan Royals As Head Coach

The former India head coach Rahul Dravid, who guided India's T20 World Cup 2024 triumph, is now set to become the head coach of the Rajasthan Royals in the  IPL 2025. After India won the T20 World Cup 2024, Dravid took a break as his coaching tenure was over. The Wall will soon start working with the Rajasthan-based franchise on crucial issues such as player retention ahead of the auction later this year.

"The talks have reached the final stages and he will soon step into the head coach job," a source close to the development told PTI. 

Kumar Sangakkara, who has been giving his services as the Royals' Director of Cricket since 2021, will be continuing his job. Rahul Dravid and Rajasthan Royals go a real long way with the former India coach leading the side for two seasons in 2012 and 2013 before serving as mentor for two more years. Eventually, Dravid shifted his base to the Delhi Capitals to perform an identical role in 2016 until becoming the head of the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

Dravid will now shake hands with Sanju Samson who is set to be retained as Royals captain for another season. It was Rahul Dravid who spotted Samson before the first season of the cash-rich league. 

As per ESPNCricinfo, former India batting coach Vikram Rathour could be added to the franchise as its assistant coach. Earlier, the Men in Blue outplayed South Africa by 7 wickets under the coaching of Rahul Dravid. 

“I really have felt short of words over the last few hours. I just could not be more proud of this team, the way we had to fight difficult situations,” Dravid said after the triumph.

“Even today I think it was a great testimony... for the team to lose three wickets in the first six overs, to be in the kind of position we were in, but the boys just kept fighting, they kept believing.