Former India coach Rahul Dravid has resigned from his role as head coach of Rajasthan Royals on August 30, ahead of IPL 2026. While his resignation has been termed a matter of "personal decision," deeper issues may be at play.
"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," the team's official statement read.
Dravid played a key role in shaping Rajasthan Royals’ squad strategy, overseeing both player retentions and auction plans for the new three-year cycle.
The team also retained Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer for the season. However, the campaign was hampered by injuries to crucial players and several narrow defeats that prevented the team from securing wins in tight matches.
In their official release, they noted that Rahul was offered a "broader position at the franchise," but he was still not convinced. Rahul had a multi-year contract, but he left only after one season.
The reported conflict appears to have involved Riyan Parag, who served as stand-in captain while Sanju Samson was sidelined due to injury. Tensions may have arisen around leadership decisions or team management during this period.
This may have contributed to the circumstances leading to Rahul Dravid’s resignation as Rajasthan Royals head coach, since he was not happy with the course of events.
Rajasthan Royals' performance this IPL season was dismal, with only 4 wins from over 14 matches. The team finished in 9th place— their worst performance since 2021.
Rahul Dravid first joined the IPL team as a player back in 2011, before captaining them for two seasons consecutively in 2012 and 2013. He then went on to serve as team director and mentor in 2014 and 2015.