Rahul Dravid was officially appointed as the head coach of the Rajasthan Royals on Friday (September 6).
Dravid recently concluded his term as head coach of the senior men’s Indian team, capping it with victories in the 2024 T20 World Cup held in the West Indies and the USA.
Dravid’s association with the Royals franchise spans both playing and coaching roles.
He played for and captained the team from 2011 to 2013 before taking on a mentor role for the 2014 season.
He also mentored the Delhi Daredevils before stepping down from IPL roles to focus on coaching the India A and U-19 teams, eventually leading to his role as head coach of the senior men’s Indian team from 2021.
In his new role with the Royals, Dravid will work closely with Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara, who served as coach for the past four years.
Sangakkara praised Dravid’s coaching achievements, stating, “Rahul is one of the greatest players to have played the game, and his accomplishments as a coach over the past decade are extraordinary.
His ability to nurture talent and consistently drive high-level performance will be invaluable as the Rajasthan Royals aim to challenge for the title.”
Dravid expressed enthusiasm about returning to the franchise, saying, “I am pleased to be returning to the franchise I have called ‘home’ for many years.
After the World Cup, I feel it is the ideal time to take on a new challenge, and the Royals are the perfect place for that.
There has been a lot of hard work and thought from Manoj, Jake, Kumar, and the team, and it’s an exciting opportunity to elevate the team given the talent and resources available.
I am looking forward to getting started.”
Dravid has already begun his work with the franchise and will be involved in decisions regarding team retentions and squad assembly for the upcoming auction once the BCCI announces the rules.
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