Former India captain and coach Rahul Dravid is likely to return to his former Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR) if reports are to be believed. RR currently does not have a head coach with Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara serving as the Director of Cricket since 2021. Shane Bond and Trevor Penny are the assistant coaches. Dravid is reportedly in advanced talks with the Rajasthan Royals to take up the head coach role, as per a report in the Times of India. Dravid has a long association with RR, having captained them in the past. The 51-year-old was also RR’s team mentor in 2014 and 2015.“Talks are going on between RR and Dravid, and an announcement in this regard is round the corner,” a source told the newspaper. How Sangakkara’s role will change after Dravid’s return is still not clear.
Meanwhile, Ashish Nehra and Director of Cricket Vikram Solanki are likely to end their stint with Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2025. Titans are in contact with Yuvraj Singh to join the coaching staff. “Lot of changes on the cards. Ashish Nehra and Vikram Solanki are highly likely to move on and discussions around Yuvraj Singh have already begun. Nothing is finalised right now but there could be some major changes in the coaching staff of the Gujarat Titans,” says a source close to developments. Titans are likely to witness a major ownership change as well. Media reports suggest that billionaire Gautam Adani is considering a significant move into the Indian Premier League (IPL), with talks underway to acquire a majority stake in the Gujarat Titans franchise from CVC Capitals Partners.
CVC Capitals Partners, who acquired the Gujarat Titans franchise for ₹5,625 crore ($745 million) in 2021, are reportedly negotiating with both Adani Group and Torrent Group for the sale of the IPL team, according to The Economic Times. In 2021, Adani Group attempted to secure ownership of the Gujarat Titans with a bid of ₹5,100 crore, while Torrent Group bid ₹4,653 crore for the franchise. Ultimately, CVC Capitals' Irelia Sports India outbid all competitors to acquire the team. Already involved in Indian cricket through the Women's Premier League (WPL), where it owns the Gujarat Giants franchise purchased for ₹1,289 crore in 2023, the Adani Group has been proactive in expanding its presence in the sport.
