The 'Wall' of Rajasthan Royals crumbled prior to IPL 2026! Head Coach Rahul Dravid leaves the franchise

IPL 2026 Rajasthan Royals: Former Indian cricket team captain & Head Coach Rahul Dravid has taken a big decision ahead of the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He has taken a big call of resigning from the post of the head-coach of 2008 winners Rajasthan Royals (RR). The 52-year-old became the coach of the frnachise in the previous edition of the cash-rich T20 league. He was a part of the India National cricket team before that. Under his coaching, the Men in Blue made finished as the runners-up in the 2023 ODI World Cup. After that, they lifted the T20 World Cup trophy in 2024.

Coaching on a Wheelchair

When Dravid was made the coach of Rajasthan last year, the franchise had great expectations from him. Dravid was injured throughout the season. Despite this, he remained with the team with the help of a wheelchair and crutches. The team's performance was not good. They managed to secure victorious in only four out of fourteen matches. RR finished at the ninth position in the overall standings

Rajasthan Royals statement

The franchise announced, "Today, Rajasthan Royals declared that head coach Rahul Dravid will conclude his time with the team ahead of IPL 2026. Rahul has played a pivotal role in the Royals’ journey for several years. His guidance has shaped a generation of players, fostered strong principles within the team, and made a lasting impact on the franchise's culture."

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Dravid turned down the offer

The Rajasthan Royals mentioned, "During the franchise's structural assessment, we proposed Rahul a broader role within the organization; however, he chose not to accept it. The Rajasthan Royals, along with its players and millions of fans globally, sincerely appreciate Rahul for his outstanding contributions to the franchise."

Controversies related to Dravid

There were some controversies during Dravid's coaching tenure last year. It was said that his relationship with skipper Sanju Samson is not good. Both of them are constantly ignoring each other. However, he brought an end to all these rumours by claiming that all these things are nonsense. The 52-year-old gave a chance to 14-year-old young sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi to prove his worth under his coaching. Vaibhav proved his decision right with his explosive batting.

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