Rahul Dravid steps down as head coach of Rajasthan Royals ahead of IPL 2026

Rahul Dravid was the head coach of Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025.

In a massive development, Rahul Dravid has stepped down as head coach of Rajasthan Royals (RR), as reported by KhelNow earlier, ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The franchise made an announcement of the same on their official social media accounts.

Notably, Dravid was appointed as the head coach of the RR ahead of IPL 2025 in September 2024 after his tenure (2021 to 2024) as the head coach of the Indian Cricket Team ended following the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 truimph.

Under Dravid’s guidance, RR gave a poor show in IPL 2025. They won just four games and lost 10 matches out of 14 clashes. With eight points, they finished at the ninth spot in the points table .

Rajasthan Royals thank Rahul Dravid for his services

In an official post on X (formerly Twitter), RR thanked Dravid for his services to the team. The franchise also revealed that they offered a bigger position to Dravid; however, he refused to take it.

“Rajasthan Royals today announced that head coach Rahul Dravid will conclude his tenure with the franchise ahead of IPL 2026. Rahul has been central to the Royals’ journey for many years. His leadership has influenced a generation of players, instilled strong values within the squad, and left an indelible mark on the culture of the franchise,” RR said in an official statement on X.

“The Rajasthan Royals, its players, and millions of fans worldwide extend heartfelt thanks to Rahul for his remarkable service to the franchise,” they further added.

Notably, RR skipper Sanju Samson is also likely to part ways with the franchise ahead of IPL 2026, according to reports. There are rumours that he might move to the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Last season, he missed a few games due to an injury, with Riyan Parag leading the side in his absence.

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