Rahul Dravid Set To Return To IPL as Rajasthan Royals' Coach After National Team Tenure

Rahul Dravid , the former head coach of the Indian men's cricket team, is making a return to the Indian Premier League ( IPL ) as the coach of Rajasthan Royals (RR). After concluding his tenure with the national team following the 2024 T20 World Cup , Dravid is stepping back into the IPL arena, as reported by ESPNcricinfo .

Dravid has reportedly signed a contract with Rajasthan Royals and has begun preliminary discussions regarding player retentions ahead of the highly anticipated mega auction. This marks a return to familiar territory for Dravid, who previously served as RR's captain after taking over from the late Shane Warne.

Dravid first assumed the captaincy of Rajasthan Royals at the age of 39 in 2012, leading the team in 40 matches, with 23 victories under his leadership. He later transitioned to a mentor role for the franchise during the 2014 and 2015 seasons before moving on to coach India’s U-19 and 'A' teams.

During his time with the U-19 squad, Dravid led India to a triumphant victory in the 2018 U-19 World Cup. He then joined the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru as the head of cricket operations. In 2021, he succeeded Ravi Shastri as the head coach of the Indian men's team, capping off his tenure with a win at the 2024 T20 World Cup.

The report also suggests that Rajasthan Royals are likely to bring in Vikram Rathour , a former India batsman, as one of Dravid’s assistant coaches. Rathour, who previously worked alongside Dravid at the NCA and later served as India’s batting coach starting in 2019, is expected to join the coaching staff.