After steering India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup, the iconic Rahul Dravid is expected to transition into the head coach role for the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2025 IPL season. It appears the deal is finalized, with Dravid already involved in discussions regarding the squad's retention list before the upcoming mega auction. There is a strong personal connection here, as Dravid played a pivotal role in Sanju Samson's development during the captain's under-19 days. Dravid is no stranger to the Royals organization, having served as their captain in 2012-2013 and as a director and mentor in 2014-2015. His professional path later took him to the Delhi Daredevils in 2016 and the National Cricket Academy in 2019, before he eventually led the Indian national side from 2021 until their recent ICC championship win. He is likely to be supported by Vikram Rathour, a former Indian international and batting coach (2019-2024) who worked with Dravid at the NCA. Meanwhile, Kumar Sangakkara is expected to remain as Director of Cricket, overseeing not only the RR squad but also the franchise's global interests, including the Barbados Royals in the CPL and Paarl Royals in the SA20.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of the 2025 IPL season, after leading Men in Blue to
lift the 2024 T20 World Cup title as the head coach. According to reports, Dravid
recently signed a contract with the franchise and has had discussions on player
retentions ahead of the upcoming mega auction. Sanju Samson, the RR captain,
has been a longtime collaborator; under Dravid’s guidance, Samson rose through
the under-19 ranks.
David and RR have a long-lasting connection. He captained the Royals team in the
IPL 2012 and 2013, and he served as mentor and team director in the 2014 and
2015 seasons. Dravid joined the Delhi Daredevils (now the Delhi Capitals) in 2016,
and in 2019 he was appointed head of the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
He took over as head coach of the India men’s team in 2021, and at the end of his
three-year tenure, the team won their first ICC championship in eleven years.
Vikram Rathour, a former Indian cricketer, is also expected to join RR as one of
Dravid’s assistant coaches. Rathour was a member of David’s coaching team at
the NCA. The former selector also served as India’s batting coach from 2019 to
2024. While Dravid will take charge of the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, it is
anticipated that Kumar Sangakkara, who has served as the team’s director of
cricket since 2021, will stay on as director and manage the teams in other leagues,
the Barbados Royals in the CPL and Paarl Royals in the SA20.