Captaincy clash between Samson, Parag, Jaiswal forced Rahul Dravid out of RR: Reports
The Rajasthan Royals announced the departure of Rahul Dravid from the team on Saturday. The first IPL champions onboarded the former Indian head coach as RR's coach ahead of IPL 2025. His stint as the head coach of the franchise lasted a single season, as Dravid is out of the equation ahead of IPL 2026. While the franchise offered a curt reason behind Dravid's exit, the latest reports have hinted at a significant tussle in the Rajasthan Royals camp.
Rahul Dravid disagreed with the captaincy call of Rajasthan Royals, exiting the scene ahead of IPL 2026
Rajasthan Royals, on Saturday, announced that Rahul Dravid had stepped down from his role as the team's head coach. The partnership, which concluded not even a year since its inception, came to a close after Dravid opted against taking a broader role in the franchise. In a terse message, RR thanked the former Indian head coach for his contributions, moving on to the next chapter ahead of IPL 2026. However, Dravid's exit is not the only issue with the RR camp right now.
Earlier reports suggested that Sanju Samson, the team captain, had demanded a release from RR ahead of the next season. IPL 2025 was filled with speculations of a rift between the captain and the head coach. Samson spent a significant time on the bench during the season with injury concerns. In his absence, Vaibhav Suryavanshi claimed the opening spot, impressing with blazing tons in the position. The team, however, suffered a disappointing run, finishing ninth on the points table with just 4 wins in 14 matches.
While both Rahul Dravid and Sanju Samson have dashed the speculations of a rift on separate occasions, the exits are still pointing in a worrying direction. Meanwhile, the latest update has hinted at the involvement of more players in the mix, leading to the ouster of Rahul Dravid as RR's head coach. The report has termed the 'broader' role offered by RR to Dravid as a 'punishment promotion'.
Allegedly, Dravid’s new designation was perceived less as a promotion and more as a way of moving him away from the Royals’ core decision-making. The RR management wanted to sideline the head coach from decisions, particularly concerning captaincy choices and squad construction. Moreover, central to the growing rift was Rajasthan's increasing inclination to hand Riyan Parag the team's captaincy. RR has reportedly come to terms with Samson's demand for a release, already planning to hand the leadership to the Assam player.
Riyan Parag had stepped in as captain during Samson’s absence in IPL 2025 but failed to leave a mark either tactically or with the bat. Despite the substandard show, Rajasthan’s management is said to remain strongly in Parag’s corner. The decision is said to be heavily influenced by Parag's immense popularity in Guwahati, which doubles as RR’s second home. Team insiders admit that Parag’s presence is central to the franchise’s regional branding and fan engagement strategy.
That line of thinking, however, is unlikely to have resonated with Dravid, who has long championed merit-driven selection. With Yashasvi Jaiswal, a regular for India and a proven IPL performer, also in the mix, reports suggest Dravid struggled to reconcile the preference for Parag as captain over a more established candidate. Adding to the tension is the looming exit of Sanju Samson. Insiders believe the handling of Samson’s potential departure was a decisive factor that left Dravid unsettled and ultimately unwilling to continue in his Royals role.
