Rahul Dravid resigns as head coach of the Rajasthan Royals
The Rajasthan Royals have announced that Rahul Dravid's second stint as head coach will come to an abrupt end before the 2026 Indian Premier League.
According to a franchise statement, the 52-year-old great, who was hired on a multi-year contract on September 6, 2024, was given a more expansive role following a recent structural review, but he turned it down.
"Over the years, Rahul has played an important part in the Royals' progress. According to the statement, "his leadership has shaped a generation of players, instilled strong values in the team, and permanently altered the franchise's culture."
Rahul had been offered a more expansive role at the franchise as part of the structural inspection, but he declined. Rahul's outstanding dedication to the Rajasthan Royals is much appreciated by the team, its players, and its millions of supporters around the world.
The former India captain, who returned last year after leading India to a T20 World Cup victory, had been an important part of the Royals from 2011 to 2015 as a player and coach. His return, however, was short-lived. Even though they lost a number of games, the Royals had a dismal 2025 season, finishing in ninth place with just four victories in 14 games.
Dravid himself struggled during his coaching tenure and was mainly restricted to a wheelchair for the season after suffering a foot injury during a Bengaluru club cricket match.
The team may now choose to hire a new head coach or return control to Kumar Sangakkara, who was promoted to Director of Cricket upon Dravid's appointment, in an attempt to add a second championship to their 2008 victory.