Former India Head Coach Rahul Dravid is poised to make a significant return to the Rajasthan Royals as their head coach for the 2025 IPL season. This move follows the conclusion of his tenure as the Indian cricket team’s coach, during which he led the Men in Blue to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup, marking India’s first ICC title since their triumph in the 2013 Champions Trophy.

As reported by ESPNCricinfo, Dravid has recently signed a deal with the Rajasthan Royals, a franchise he once led as captain during the 2012 and 2013 IPL seasons. After his stint as captain, he served the Royals in 2014 and 2015 as team director and mentor. His return to the franchise marks a full-circle moment for Dravid, who has had a long association with the Royals.

Vikram Rathour is expected to join the Royals as an assistant coach in addition to Dravid. Meanwhile, Kumar Sangakkara, who has been serving as the team’s director of cricket since 2021, is set to shift his focus toward managing the Royals’ other franchises, including the Paarl Royals in SA20 and the Barbados Royals in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Dravid’s journey with Rajasthan Royals began years ago, but after leaving the franchise in 2016, he moved to Delhi Daredevils, where he stayed until 2019 before taking on the role of head of the National Cricket Academy. In 2021, Dravid was appointed as the head coach of the Indian national cricket team, a position he held for three years, concluding his tenure in June 2024.

Rajasthan Royals are hopeful that Dravid’s leadership will finally bring them the IPL title, a trophy they last won in 2008 during the tournament’s inaugural edition. Although the Royals came close to victory in 2022, finishing as runners-up after losing to Gujarat Titans, they faltered in 2023, failing to make it to the playoffs. In the 2024 season, the team advanced to Qualifier 2 but was ultimately knocked out by Royal Challengers Bangalore. The franchise now looks to Dravid to bring them back to the top and help them clinch their second IPL championship.