Rahul Dravid likely to make IPL return as Rajasthan Royals' head coach, claims report

By Sunita Iyer | First Published Aug 12, 2024, 5:45 PM IST

Rahul Dravid is reportedly set to make a return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the head coach of Rajasthan Royals.

Former India batting legend Rahul Dravid is reportedly set to make a return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the head coach of Rajasthan Royals, following his departure from the national coaching role. Dravid, who led India to victory in the T20 World Cup 2024, handed over the reins of the national team to Gautam Gambhir earlier this year.

The 51-year-old Dravid, who had an illustrious playing career, achieved his first ICC trophy as a coach with the T20 World Cup triumph, a fitting capstone to his coaching tenure with the Indian team.

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Rajasthan Royals, the inaugural IPL champions in 2008, are currently coached by former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara. However, Sangakkara has been linked with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), which is reportedly considering him as a potential candidate for the role of the new white-ball coach.

According to a Cricbuzz report, if Sangakkara accepts the England job, the head coach position at Rajasthan Royals would likely be filled by Dravid. This move would see Dravid returning to a franchise where he once served as captain, mentor, and coach before moving to the BCCI setup.

When questioned about the possibility of joining England as their new coach, Sangakkara recently responded, "My name has been mentioned, but there hasn't been any formal approach. The England white-ball coach role is indeed an exciting opportunity, but there are many worthy candidates. I am very happy with my current role at Rajasthan Royals, which has been incredibly rewarding over the past four years."

The England white-ball coaching position became vacant after Matthew Mott stepped down, following the team's failure to retain their ODI and T20 World Cup titles. In the interim, the ECB has appointed former England batter Marcus Trescothick to oversee the team's preparation for the upcoming one-day international and T20 series against Australia in September.

As the coaching carousel continues, all eyes will be on the developments surrounding Dravid's potential return to the IPL and Sangakkara's future with the ECB.

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