Rahul Dravid Set to Return as Rajasthan Royals Head Coach

Former Indian head coach Rahul Dravid is poised to make a sensational return to the Rajasthan Royals as their head coach, according to reliable sources. Negotiations between the franchise and Dravid are reportedly in advanced stages, with an official announcement expected soon.

Dravid, 51, has a long-standing association with the Royals, having captained them to the Champions League T20 final and IPL playoffs in 2013. He subsequently served as their mentor in 2014 and 2015, guiding them to a third-place finish in the IPL.

After his stint with the Royals, Dravid joined the BCCI in various capacities, including head coach of the India U-19 and India 'A' teams, chairman of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), and finally head coach of the senior team from October 2021.

It remains unclear whether the Royals will retain Kumar Sangakkara, who has been their director of cricket since 2021, or release him once Dravid takes over.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is seeking the assistance of an Indian expert to prepare for their upcoming white-ball series against India. Zubin Bharucha, the high-performance director of the Royals, is currently conducting a week-long "batting master class" for Sri Lankan players in Colombo. Bharucha is renowned for his rigorous training methods, which have played a crucial role in the development of young batsmen like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel.

"I'm assisting Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) coaches in how they are setting up practice -from the academy to the international players," Bharucha said. According to sources, it was Sangakkara who recommended Bharucha for this special training session.

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