Shocking Decision Ahead of IPL 2026: Rahul Dravid Resigns as Head Coach of Rajasthan Royals

Jaipur (The Uttam Hindu): In a surprising development just ahead of the 2026 IPL season, Rajasthan Royals have announced that their head coach and former Indian cricket legend Rahul Dravid has resigned from his position. The team made the announcement on Saturday through a social media post, revealing this major change.

According to reports, this decision was made by Rahul Dravid himself. However, speculation has started regarding the reasons behind his sudden resignation, with Rajasthan Royals' disappointing performance in the last season being considered one of the key factors.

Under Dravid's leadership, Rajasthan Royals had a poor performance in IPL 2025, managing to win only 4 out of 14 matches and finishing 9th on the points table. During the season, there were also reports of a rift between captain Sanju Samson and Dravid, although both denied these claims at the time.

Rajasthan Royals issued a press release appreciating Dravid’s contributions to the team. The franchise said, “Rajasthan Royals announces today that head coach Rahul Dravid will end his tenure before IPL 2026. Rahul has been at the center of Royals’ journey for several years. His leadership has influenced an entire generation of players.”

The franchise also revealed that a high-ranking position was offered to Rahul, but he decided not to accept it. The team expressed their heartfelt gratitude for his services.

This was Dravid’s second stint with Rajasthan Royals. After leaving his role as the head coach of the Indian team post-2024 T20 World Cup, Dravid joined Royals. Previously, he had been part of the franchise as a player from 2011 to 2013 and as a mentor until 2015. With his sudden departure, the franchise now faces the task of finding a new coach before the IPL 2026 auction.