[Watch] "So this is where the IPL is won"- Rahul Dravid on meeting with Rajasthan Royals' officials on Day 1
Rahul Dravid was officially announced as the next head coach of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Friday, September 6. The franchise shared a video of Dravid entering the meeting room to meet the RR officials and indulge in a discussion on the first day after his appointment.
Wearing a pink T-shirt, the color of the Royals, Dravid said upon entering the meeting room:
"So this is where the IPL is won."
Here is the video shared by the RR social media handle on September 7:
Dravid recently guided Team India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title before parting ways as the head coach. The now 51-year-old played for RR from 2011 to 2013, while also captaining the side.
He became the franchise's mentor in 2014 and played a massive role in current skipper Sanju Samson's development.
In IPL 2024, RR finished third on the points table. They were eliminated by the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 2.
"I am pleased to be returning to the franchise I have called 'home' for a number of years in the past" - Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid is delighted to be back with the Rajasthan Royals in his return to the IPL for the first time since 2019.
The franchise, while being among the most consistent, is still searching for their second IPL title since winning the inaugural edition in 2008.
Following his appointment as RR head coach, Dravid said in a statement as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo:
"I am pleased to be returning to the franchise I have called 'home' for a number of years in the past. After the World Cup, I feel it's the ideal time for me to take on another challenge, and the Royals is the perfect place to do that … It's an exciting opportunity for us to take this team to the next level given the kind of talent and resources we have at our disposal and I'm looking forward to getting started."
RR CEO Jake Lush McCrum expressed his delight at having Dravid back with the franchise, saying:
"We are delighted to be bringing Rahul back to the franchise. His exceptional coaching capabilities are evident with the transformation he's driven in Indian cricket. He also has a deep connection to the franchise, and we've seen that passion come through in all our conversations."
RR last reached the IPL final in 2022, where they lost to the Gujarat Titans (GT).