Dravid steps down as Rajasthan Royals head coach

In a shock move, Rajasthan Royals announced the departure of Rahul Dravid as the head coach ahead of IPL 2026 next year in a social media post on Thursday.

Dravid had returned to Royals as the head coach for IPL 2025 after a successful tenure with the Indian team, following the T20 World Cup triumph last year.

The batting great had earlier spent three seasons at the Royals as a player from 2011 to 2013 before taking over as the mentor till 2015. 

Under Dravid, Royals finished ninth in IPL 2025 with four wins from 14 games to miss out on the play-offs.

'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,' Royals said in a statement on Instagram.

'As part of the franchise structural review, Rahul had been offered a broader position at the franchise, but has chosen not to take this. The Rajasthan Royals, its players, and millions of fans worldwide extend heartfelt thanks to Rahul for his remarkable service to the franchise.'