Rahul Dravid will come back to Rajasthan Royals

Rahul Dravid is reportedly set to return to Rajasthan Royals as their head coach for the 2025 IPL season, following the conclusion of his tenure as the head coach of the Indian cricket team in June. Dravid, who led India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup—their first ICC title since the 2013 Champions Trophy—will be taking on the role with hopes of bringing his winning touch to the Royals, a team that hasn't claimed the IPL title since the inaugural edition in 2008.

According to a report by ESPNCricinfo, Dravid has recently signed a deal with Rajasthan Royals, a franchise he is well-acquainted with, having served as captain in 2012 and 2013, and later as team director and mentor in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

The report also indicates that Vikram Rathour is expected to join Dravid as an assistant coach, while Kumar Sangakkara, who has been the Royals' director of cricket since 2021, will shift his focus to overseeing the franchise's teams in other leagues, including the Paarl Royals in the SA20 and Barbados Royals in the CPL.

Dravid's previous stint with the Royals ended in 2016, after which he joined Delhi Daredevils and remained with them until 2019 when he was appointed as the head of the National Cricket Academy. He took on the role of India's head coach in 2021, recently concluding his three-year tenure.

The Rajasthan Royals are hopeful that Dravid's leadership will help them capture their second IPL title. The team finished as runners-up in 2022, losing to the Gujarat Titans, and although they advanced to the playoffs in 2023, they failed to reach the finals. In the 2024 season, the Royals made it to Qualifier 2 but were eliminated by Royal Challengers Bangalore.