Rahul Dravid to be appointed head coach of Rajasthan Royals for IPL 2025

Rahul Dravid — who masterminded India's T20 World Cup, 2024, triumph — is set to take over the role of head coach of Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025.

Dravid, who is currently on a short career break since India's victory at Barbados in June, will soon start working with the franchise on important issues such as player retention ahead of the auction later this year.

“The discussions have reached the final stages and he will soon step into the role of head coach,” a source close to the development told PTI.

Kumar Sangakkara, who has been Royals' Director of Cricket since 2021, will continue his role and is likely to be more hands-on with Barbados Royals (CPL) and Paarl Royals (SA20).

Dravid has a long-standing association with the team as their captain for two seasons in 2012 and 2013, before serving as mentor for two more years. He then moved to Delhi Capitals in a similar role in 2016 and continued with the team till he assumed the role of the head of National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. In 2021, he moved on from the NCA to take up India's head coach role from Ravi Shastri.

Now at Royals, Dravid will reunite with Sanju Samson, who is all set to be retained as RR captain for another season. Samson blossomed first under the 52-year-old.

Meanwhile, ESPNCricinfo reported that Vikram Rathour, who was batting coach of India during Dravid's tenure, could be roped in by the franchise as its assistant coach.