Rahul Dravid was unveiled as the new head coach of Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. Dravid had recently guided the Indian team to the T20 World Cup 2024 glory and had joked with the media persons about looking for new jobs.
Rahul Dravid had spent five years with the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, three as player-captain and two years as the mentor of the side. He retired from all cricket in 2013 and then took up media role, before moving to the NCA in 2016.
He then coached the Indian U19 teams and gradually became the senior Indian team coach in 2021. Under his guidance, India made it into the semi-finals of the 2022 T20 World Cup, won the Asia Cup 2023, and made it into the finals of the 2023 World Test Championship and the ICC World Cup.
He bid adieu to the India coach job after leading the Men in Blue to ICC T20 World Cup glory in 2024.
And now as per a Cricbuzz report, Rahul Dravid chose to rejoin the Rajasthan Royals (RR) franchise despite being offered blank cheques by other IPL franchises. The report also revealed the reason behind the same.
Rahul Dravid has such a heart-to-heart connection with the RR franchise because they showed faith in him during the IPL 2011 auction.
Dravid had made his IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bengaluru as their captain in IPL 2008. He remained with the franchise till IPL 2010. However, Dravid was released ahead of the IPL 2011 auction. When his name was announced in the IPL 2011 auction, neither mentor Anil Kumble nor RCB owner Vijay Mallya reacted, showing that he was no longer in RCB plans.
Dravid was set to go unsold when the Royals raised their offer and provided him with a new home. Dravid's pride was at stake and RR believed in him and return, Dravid scored 343 runs in his first year with the RR franchise.
After retiring from international cricket in 2012, Dravid focused solely on the RR franchise and returned 462 runs in IPL 2012. In his final year with RR in IPL 2013, Dravid smoked 471 runs and took them to playoffs. Dravid retired from T20s, after captaining RR to the final of the Champions League that year.
And now, Dravid will rejoin forces with the RR franchise and he will aim to win the IPL 2025 as they have not won the title since 2008 and only made it to finthe al in IPL 2022 edition.
