Rahul Dravid named head coach of IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals

Rahul Dravid after India’s T20 World Cup win recently. Pic/Getty Images

Rahul Dravid, the former head coach and renowned player of Team India, has been appointed as the head coach for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, as reported by the media on Wednesday.

Additionally, Kumar Sangakkara has been designated as the Director of Cricket for the team, while Vikram Rathour has been appointed assistant coach.

Dravid has a notable history with Rajasthan Royals (RR). He captained the team in the IPL seasons of 2012 and 2013 and later served as team director and mentor during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. In 2016, Dravid transitioned to Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) before taking on the role of head of the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru in 2019. In 2021, he was appointed head coach of the Indian men's team, leading them to their first ICC title in 11 years during his three-year tenure.

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As per ESPN Cricinfo, it is anticipated that RR will also bring in former India batter Vikram Rathour as one of Dravid's assistant coaches. Rathour, who previously served as an India selector and was part of Dravid's coaching staff at the NCA, transitioned to India's batting coach in 2019.

While Dravid will oversee Rajasthan Royals' IPL campaign, Kumar Sangakkara, who has been the franchise's director of cricket since 2021, will remain with RR. Sangakkara will manage their teams in other leagues, including Paarl Royals in the SA20 and Barbados Royals in the CPL.

Rajasthan Royals have not secured the IPL title since their inaugural victory in 2008. Their most notable performance since then was in 2022, when they finished as runners-up to Gujarat Titans. Despite a strong start to the 2023 season, they did not advance to the playoffs, finishing fifth in the league. However, they made it to the playoffs in 2024 but were eliminated in Qualifier 2.