New Delhi. Former Indian captain and coach Rahul Dravid has been appointed as the new head coach of Rajasthan Royals (RR). This appointment has been made on a multi-year contract. Rahul Dravid’s tenure as the coach of the Indian team ended after winning the T20 World Cup in Barbados in June this year. Dravid said, I am very happy that I am returning to the franchise which I have considered my home for many years. After the World Cup, I felt that it was the right time for me to accept a new challenge, and Rajasthan Royals is the best place for this. Dravid said in his statement, Manoj, Jake, Kumar and the team have worked hard to take the franchise to this point. With the talent and resources we have, we are ready to take this team to the next level. I am excited to start work soon. Dravid was associated with Rajasthan Royals for five seasons from 2011 to 2015, where he started his coaching career.
Now he will work on the team’s strategy along with the franchise’s cricket director Kumar Sangakkara. Sangakkara said, “Rahul is one of the greatest players of cricket, but what he has achieved as a coach in the last ten years is amazing. His ability to hone the players in coaching and prepare them to perform consistently at the top level will be extremely important for us. I have had some good conversations with him on the team’s future plans and he is fully prepared to deliver results. Rahul Dravid has previously been the mentor of Delhi Capitals. He then went to the National Cricket Academy (NCA), where he led India’s Under-19 team to win the World Cup in 2018 and runners-up in 2016. He also coached the India ‘A’ team and became the cricket head of the NCA. As the head coach of India’s senior team, Dravid led the team to the top rankings in Tests, ODIs and T20s. Won the Asia Cup in 2023, and led the team to the finals of the ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship in the same year. His tenure then ended with winning the T20 World Cup this year.
Rajasthan Royals CEO Jake Lush McCrum said, “Rahul has the experience of getting the best out of young and experienced players. There is a great synergy between his thinking and the values of our franchise. Seeing the reactions of the fans on social media, it seems that they are very excited to have him back. Rahul has already started working with Sangakkara and the rest of the team, so that we are fully prepared for the IPL auction and team selection. Rahul Dravid is returning to Rajasthan Royals after nine years. During this, he will get a chance to work again with current captain and wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson. Sanju made his place in the franchise and the Indian team under the guidance of Dravid. Dravid’s first task at RR will be to prepare a strategy for the IPL 2025 mega auction, whose retention policies have not been formally announced yet.