 "Rahul Dravid left RR just a year after rejoining the franchise as coach. Image: AFP")
Former India coach Rahul Dravid has stepped down as the head coach of the Rajasthan Royals franchise ahead of the IPL 2026 season. This comes just a year after Dravid returned to the franchise on a multi-year deal following his stint with the Indian cricket team, which included a T20 World Cup triumph.
The Royals said his exit was a personal choice, and they even offered him a “broader role,” but a Cricbuzz report suggests there were bigger issues behind the scenes. As per the report, Dravid was unhappy with different opinions coming out of the camp regarding the future captaincy choice.
Dravid leaves because of captaincy clash?
Riyan Parag, who captained the Royals in several matches in IPL 2025 season while Sanju Samson was injured, is reportedly being groomed as the next full-time captain. Dravid was reportedly not convinced he was the best choice for leadership. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel were also in the mix for leadership roles.
“The buzz outside the setup suggests that within the franchise there were three different schools of thought: one group pushed for Riyan Parag, who captained the side in a few games; another backed Yashasvi Jaiswal as the future leader; while a third preferred maintaining the status quo - with Samson continuing at the helm,” the report stated.
The expected exit of longtime skipper Sanju Samson may also have been the reason behind the decision. Dravid, who has mentored Samson for years, was reportedly unhappy with the way the team was planning the transition and hence decided to step down from the position. Samson has reportedly asked the franchise to release him before the next season.
Dravid had rejoined the Royals camp ahead of the IPL 2025 season and leaves after a disappointing campaign where the team finished ninth. Dravid has not commented about his departure as RR coach as of yet.