Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid recently shared insights into the team's retention strategy for IPL 2025, spotlighting captain Sanju Samson’s pivotal role in selecting the retained players. Dravid emphasized the importance of stability and a strong core, revealing that Samson's perspective and understanding were crucial in deciding which players to retain. The franchise has secured six players, including Samson, to maintain a solid foundation for the upcoming season.

Samson’s involvement in the Retention process

Rahul Dravid confirmed that Sanju Samson, Rajasthan Royals' captain and wicketkeeper-batter, was actively involved in the retention decisions, reflecting his commitment and deep understanding of the team. Samson, who has led the franchise for several years, was retained as the first pick along with five other key players—Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, and Sandeep Sharma.

Speaking on Samson’s role, Dravid mentioned, "Sanju Samson played a big role in the retention process, and it wasn’t an easy decision. He has built strong relationships within the team and has shown balanced judgment throughout." Dravid praised Samson’s leadership qualities, noting that his input helped shape the core of Rajasthan Royals, a team that aims to build on its strengths and remain competitive in the IPL.

Dravid further explained the rationale behind retaining a stable core, stating, “Retaining six players brings stability. We trust in our talent and wanted to build a team with players who align with our vision.” He added that although retaining these players means less flexibility with finances during the auction, the move enables them to focus on filling specific gaps to build a balanced squad.

See Also: SHOCKING: Player dies after being struck by a leather ball, Madras HC abstains from taking legal action

Preparing for a strong season and auction dynamics

Dravid highlighted the expectations and challenges for Rajasthan Royals in the upcoming season, particularly with the goal of clinching the IPL title. "It’s been years since Rajasthan won a title, and our aim this season is to qualify and win," Dravid said. He acknowledged the intense competition within the IPL, stressing the need for strategic planning and adaptability at the auction table.

With recent changes in the Right to Match (RTM) rule, Dravid believes this auction will be different, allowing for new opportunities to build the team. "We have prepared a foundation with our retained core, and now we can look at adding depth to the squad,” Dravid explained. He emphasized the importance of preparation and flexibility in the auction, acknowledging the need to adjust based on the dynamic auction environment.

Dravid’s insights reflect the strategic approach Rajasthan Royals are taking for IPL 2025. With a captain invested in the team's future and a strong core in place, the Royals are setting the stage for a promising season.

Following the IPL 2025 retention announcements, Rajasthan Royals coach Rahul Dravid emphasized the importance of a strong core to foster team cohesion and success. By retaining captain Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, and Sandeep Sharma, Dravid aims to build a competitive squad with a focus on loyalty and talent, keeping Rs 41 crore in the franchise's purse for the upcoming auction.

Dravid’s vision: Core players and team loyalty

Rahul Dravid, renowned for his approach to player development, elaborated on the Royals' strategy for retention, underscoring the value of a core group for sustained performance. He explained, "We have a lot of talented players who have performed well. We trust our talent, and we also want to maintain the core and build the team around it. A loyal core provides stability and reflects a franchise's commitment to its players."

This approach aligns with Dravid’s long-standing philosophy of nurturing talent while maintaining squad consistency, a quality he believes is vital for team spirit and loyalty. By retaining these six players, Dravid hopes to foster a close-knit team culture that can endure the high-stakes competition in the IPL.

With Rs 41 crore remaining in their budget, the Royals enter the auction with ample resources but no Right to Match (RTM) cards, meaning they must strategize carefully to build around the retained core. Dravid expressed confidence in their financial flexibility, suggesting that the Royals are well-prepared to secure additional high-impact players who align with their established core.

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Star Sports India (@starsportsindia)

Key players released: Pant and KL Rahul return to the auction pool

Elsewhere, the IPL 2025 retention deadline saw several high-profile players, including Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, released by their respective franchises. Pant, with over 100 matches for Delhi Capitals, returns to the auction pool, adding a valuable wicketkeeper-batsman to the market. KL Rahul, who led the Lucknow Super Giants since 2022, is another standout release, expected to attract significant bids at the auction.

According to sources, Chennai Super Kings are already strategizing to bring Rishabh Pant to the MA Chidambaram Stadium, with their management keen to add his experience and skillset to their lineup.

See Also: Will Young’s resilient 50 counters Sundar’s double strike in Mumbai Test

Dravid’s strategy of retaining a core group reflects a broader trend among IPL franchises, where team identity and loyalty are increasingly prioritized. Teams like the Royals aim to create a blend of stability and performance, focusing on nurturing talent that resonates with their ethos and vision. This approach not only enhances performance but also deepens the connection between players and their franchises, adding a layer of brand loyalty and fan engagement.

With the auction approaching, it will be interesting to see how the Rajasthan Royals and other franchises use their budgets and retention strategies to secure a winning combination for the 2025 season.

One-time IPL champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) have announced their retained players for the IPL 2025 season. 

Rajasthan Royals stunned the cricket fans by winning the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the 2008 edition. Before resetting their tough and challenging image in recent years, the Royals hugely struggled. 

In the last three seasons, Rajasthan Royals reached the playoffs for two seasons, including the IPL 2024, where they were eliminated from the Qualifier 2. In the IPL 2022, the Royals reached the final and lost against the tournament debutant Gujarat Titans to finish as the runners-up. 

Sanju Samson has been leading Rajasthan Royals since the 2021 edition. Under his captaincy, the Royals are growing strongly. 

Rajasthan Royals player retention

Rajasthan Royals spent INR 79 crore to retain six players. They retained five capped players and one uncapped player. Now, they can use the remaining INR 41 crore to fill up the squad at the mega auction.

(Capped)

Sanju Samson (Indian): INR 18 Crore

Yashasvi Jaiswal (Indian): INR 18 Crore

Riyan Parag (Indian): INR 14 Crore

Dhruv Jurel (Indian): INR 14 Crore

Shimron Hetmyer (Guyanese): INR 11 Crore

(Uncapped)

Sandeep Sharma (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Right-to-Match (RTM) card availability for the mega auction

None

Former India head coach Rahul Dravid has found a new job as he has returned to the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Rajasthan Royals as the Head Coach. The Indian batting legend tasted success with the national team as the head coach which went on to win the T20 World Cup 2024. After stepping down as the national team’s head coach, Dravid subsequently returned to the cash-rich league, reuniting with his former franchise where he played and mentored as well.

Rahul Dravid joins Rajasthan Royals

On Friday (September 6), Rajasthan Royals (RR) officially announced Rahul Dravid as the new head coach of the team. Dravid has signed a multi-year contract. 

The 51-year-old former Indian captain and legendary Indian batter, Rahul Dravid, recently ended his contract as the head coach with the Indian men’s national cricket team after winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 trophy. 

Rahul Dravid, India's legendary World Cup-winning coach, is set for a sensational return to Rajasthan Royals! 🇮🇳🤝

The cricket icon was captured receiving his Pink jersey from the Royals Sports Group CEO Jake Lush McCrum. It is believed that the RR Admin was present too,… pic.twitter.com/C6Q8KRDFgW

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) September 6, 2024

SEE ALSO: Vikram Rathour, Rangana Herath join New Zealand to help for upcoming Test series in Asia

Rahul Dravid-led Rajasthan Royals performed strongly in 2013

Between 2011 and 2015, Dravid served for the Rajasthan Royals as a captain and as a coach. While Dravid led the Rajasthan Royals between 2012 and 2013, his team reached the Qualifier 2 at the IPL 2013. 

Meanwhile, at the Champions League T20 2013, the Dravid-led Rajasthan Royals reached the final by winning all matches. However, in the final, they lost against Mumbai Indians and finished as the runners-up. 

Dravid led Rajasthan Royals in 40 T20 matches, where his team won 23 games and lost 17 fixtures. 

Dravid scored 1324 runs in 52 matches for Rajasthan Royals. The right-handed batter’s average and strike rate for the team were 27.02 and 108.88, respectively. He scored seven half-centuries for the franchise, including his highest score of 66 runs. During his retirement from the game, he was the third-most run-scorer for the franchise. 

Rahul Dravid was in the RR coaching team in 2014 and 2015

In the IPL 2014 and 2015, Dravid joined the coaching team of the franchise, where he worked as a mentor. 

Dravid and Royals' Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara will now work together to implement the overall cricketing strategy for the team. 

Kumar Sangakkara 🤝 Rahul Dravid 🔥💗

This is going to be exciting! 😍 pic.twitter.com/eAN4cvZsG1

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) September 6, 2024

I am pleased to be returning to the franchise: Rahul Dravid

Dravid is ready for the new challenge. He called the Rajasthan Royals his ‘home’ and is pleased to be returning to the franchise. 

Dravid said, "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.” 

The former RR captain added, “A lot of hard work and deliberations from Manoj, Jake, Kumar, and the team has gone into the progression that the franchise has made over the past few years. 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."

Rajasthan Royals will now focus on rebuilding a solid team for the IPL 2025. In two out of the last three IPL seasons, RR reached the playoffs, while they finished as the runners-up in the IPL 2022 after losing the final against the IPL debutants Gujarat Titans. 

After leading India to a T20 World Cup win in 2024, Rahul Dravid is now looking at a new role in the IPL. Since finishing his time as head coach of the Indian team, Dravid has been linked with several IPL teams.

Rumors of Kolkata Knight Riders role

There were rumors that Dravid might join Kolkata Knight Riders after their mentor Gautam Gambhir, left to take Dravid’s former role with the Indian team. However, recent reports suggest Dravid is now in talks with Rajasthan Royals, his old IPL team.

While Dravid seeks a new challenge, Gambhir has already started his journey as India’s head coach, heading to Sri Lanka with the team. Before leaving, Gambhir acknowledged the big shoes he had to fill after Dravid’s successful tenure.

Talks with Rajasthan Royals

“Talks are going on between RR and Dravid, and an announcement in this regard is round the corner,” Times of India(TOI) quoted a source as saying.

Dravid’s T20 World Cup success

After India’s T20 World Cup victory against South Africa, Dravid joked about being ‘jobless’ and asked reporters if they had any job offers. Given his talent and vast experience, it’s no surprise that IPL teams are eager to have him.

Dravid chose not to continue as India’s head coach because he didn’t want to spend 10 months a year traveling and away from his family. The IPL, however is different. It only requires a 2-3 month commitment, which Dravid might find appealing.

Dravid’s IPL experience

Dravid has previously worked as a mentor and coach for IPL teams. He was the coach of Delhi Daredevils until 2017 when he left due to a ‘conflict of interest.’ Since then, he has coached India’s junior teams and was the head of the National Cricket Academy before taking the India job in 2021.

Now in talks with Rajasthan Royals, it will be interesting to see what role Dravid might take on with the team.

The Indian Premier League, a veritable breeding ground for cricketing talent, has once again brought a group of promising players to the fore. The just-concluded 2024 edition was a platform for these emerging Indian players, who could potentially bring about a sea change in the national cricket team.

Here’s a rundown of the top five Indian players who, based on their IPL performances, could be on their way to their first international call.

1. Nitish Kumar Reddy (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Sunrisers Hyderabad has uncovered yet another cricketing treasure in the form of Nitish Kumar Reddy, a pace-bowling all-rounder. This sought-after combination frequently piques the curiosity of Indian cricket selection. At the age of 21, Reddy has distinguished himself by his ability to flourish in high-pressure circumstances and guide the innings to a successful completion.

The youngster also won this year’s Emerging Player of the Year title, scoring 303 runs in 15 matches at an average of 33.67. He took three wickets with the ball and had the best bowling stats of 2/17. Nitish played a significant part in enabling the team’s third IPL finale match. 

2. Abhishek Sharma (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

Having associations since 2019 with the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Abhishek Sharma paid back the trust after a memorable cricketing display as the team’s opener. With his opening partner, Travis Head, Sharma has created havoc with the bat by making a sound and aggressive start towards the team’s high-scoring total, with their highest team total of 287/3 runs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru being one of them.

He has smashed 484 runs in 16 matches, with a strike rate of over 200. As an all-rounder, he also has the potential to turn the ball and scalp some crucial wickets. It would be interesting to see how he performs as an opener when he gets his maiden international call in the future.

Also Read: IPL 2024: Ranking all IPL teams captains

3. Riyan Parag (Rajasthan Royals)

Riyan Parag has been a part of Rajasthan Royals for an extended period, but his performance has gradually declined season by season. With numerous trolls and backlash, Parag gave a befitting reply to such haters with his all-rounding performance in the recent season. He acted as the medium of robust to the team’s middle-order batting and helped in scalping crucial wins for the team.

He emerged as the team’s best run-scorer in IPL 2024, achieving the third-highest total tally with 573 runs at a strike rate of 149.21 throughout 14 innings. With a sophisticated approach and a relaxed attitude, Parag’s proficient tactics have created a lasting impression, which implies that a call-up to the Indian squad may be approaching.

4. Mayank Yadav (Lucknow Super Giants)

Though Mayank Yadav’s IPL career was cut short owing to repeated ailments, the speed phenom made the most of his opportunities while still in the league. Mayank’s blazing speed and pinpoint precision in his maiden match astounded the crowd.

Despite bowling only 12.1 overs in the competition and taking seven wickets with a fantastic economy rate of 6.98, Mayank’s early exit from the IPL 2024 did not herald the end of his career. With his impressive quickness and intriguing talent, he is undoubtedly on selectors’ radar for future possibilities.

5. Shashank Singh (Punjab Kings)

During the 2024 IPL auction, Shashank Singh’s purchase by the Punjab Kings was an atmosphere of confusion and rumours, as the team wanted another player going by the same name. But this purchase turned out to be a masterstroke and made one of the players who might get his India debut call very soon. He became the face of the team’s middle-order lineup.

The batter hit 415 runs in the 14 games he played in the competition this season, with a strike-rate of 161. The effect of his knocks made him a superstar for the Punjab Kings as he came out to bat amid tight moments and won them the game when the team had practically no chance of success.

The 2024 IPL edition is one of the most intensifying tournaments in the Indian franchise-based fraternity. With many broken records and some commendable performances, the team’s captains have acted as the epitome of such cricketing displays, making the concluded edition more memorable for the cricketing world.

With different captains having different strategies and intent, here is a ranking of all the teams’ heads who have contributed to the fullest with their cricketing minds and calibre in the recently concluded IPL 2024 edition. The ranking is based on a combination of factors, including the team’s performance, the captain’s leadership skills, and their contributions to the team’s success.

1. Shreyas Iyer- Kolkata Knight Riders

The 2024 IPL champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, have been a jack-of-all-trades team, checking all the boxes in all aspects, with particular praise from their skipper, Shreyas Iyer, and the coaching staff. Shreyas Iyer has done well as a captain, and the team is doing well under his leadership.

His decision-making has been sound, with no significant weaknesses identified in his leadership. KKR has perhaps the finest balance of bat and ball. The leading cause for this has been player selection and, therefore, player performance. He played aggressive cricket with the bat, hitting 351 runs at a strike rate of 146.

2. Pat Cummins- Sunrisers Hyderabad

Pat Cummins excelled as a captain. After performing well for Australia, which has a strong lineup, the star player’s challenge was to turn around SRH’s fortunes. And he did just that. Thanks to Cummins’ inspired captaincy, the hitters transformed the dynamics of the league with their aggressive style, and the developing bowlers dominated it to the fullest.

Cummins was also effective with the ball, taking 18 wickets over the season. As a captain, he inspired the SRH team to break records in the IPL 2024. Cummins has pulled the best out of numerous players this season, leading them to the grand finals.

3. Faf du Plessis- Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Though the team had one heck of a forgettable start, Royal Challengers Bengaluru made a fantabulous and memorable comeback, even when there was a bleak 1% chance of qualification. All credit would go to the former South African ace opener, Faf du Plessis, who focused on strengthening its batting core and improvising its bowling department.

Overall, it was a valiant display of captaincy and team effort by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. As of his batting performance, du Plessis made 438 runs at a strike rate of 161.

4. Sanju Samson- Rajasthan Royals

In the initial and mid stages of the league, Rajasthan Royals (RR) were the favourites to finish first in the points standings, having won eight of their nine games. However, their season deteriorated following that, and they made the playoffs in third place.

This was primarily about critiquing the team’s consistency and captain Sanju Samson’s evolving plans and methods. If not for this season, Samson is praised for his constant batting and captaincy efforts, which was unsurprising given his performance this season. He had a spectacular batting tenure, amassing 531 runs with a strike rate of 153.

5. Rishabh Pant- Delhi Capitals

Rishabh Pant returns to play after being out for more than 15 months. After avoiding a life-threatening accident, the top player returned to cricket and performed well as a batsman. But he was a decent skipper. He began his IPL 2024 campaign with some difficulties.

But by the second half of the tournament, he had returned to his excellent levels. The Delhi Capitals skipper scored 446 runs with a strike rate of 155. Pant made poor selections about the team’s batting and bowling. Pant would need to improve over time for the following season.

See Also: Gambhir reveals KKR’s 2024 victory secret

6. Ruturaj Gaikwad- Chennai Super Kings

Ruturaj Gaikwad captained Chennai Super Kings for the first time in IPL history. His leadership was not up to par, but it could have a future influence on the team’s destiny in the long term, especially after a long and prosperous era of MS Dhoni. The batting order constantly changed in numerous games, hampered the players’ performance.

Ruturaj Gaikwad led Chennai Super Kings through a consistent season, not to forget his spectacular batting stint by scoring 583 runs, making him the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament. Gaikwad won only seven games in his 14-match campaign, indicating significant room for development.

7. Sam Curran- Punjab Kings

Though Shikhar Dhawan had to lead the Punjab Kings full-time, Sam Curran’s appearance as a captain for majority of time was interesting to check out. However, he wasn’t appealing with his overall all-rounder performance, as he made just 270 runs at a strike rate of 123 and snapped 16 wickets.

But, his ability to utilise emerging domestic talent has prompted his arsenal to change the game and can act as the future of the team’s successes. In the end, the team was able to win just a mere five wins and ended up ninth in the points table.

8. KL Rahul- Lucknow Super Giants

KL Rahul led the Lucknow Super Giants to a 50-50 record, winning seven of their fourteen matches. Under his guidance, the squad won as many games as it lost, indicating an up-and-down season. They started brightly but lost momentum in the middle.

Meanwhile, Rahul scored 520 runs this season, but his strike rate of 136 was significantly below average and ordinary for openers in the IPL 2024 season, which was a high-scoring event. It sums up his tactics of runs coming off his bat, but not at the rate his side needs.  The Super Giants missed the playoffs for the first time in their three-season history.

9. Shubman Gill- Gujarat Titans

Shubman Gill, a budding opening batter, has become the captain of the Gujarat Titans after Hardik Pandya moved to the Mumbai Indians. In his first stint as captain, Gill faced challenges, including critical player injuries, leading to some perplexed and vague decisions.

Despite this, he viewed it as a learning experience. The team won only five out of 14 matches, but Gill’s batting was solid, with 426 runs in 12 games. But it will be interesting to see how he evolves as a captain for the Gujarat Titans.

10. Hardik Pandya- Mumbai Indians

Hardik Pandya, the new Mumbai Indians captain, was perhaps the most disappointing captain and big-name player of the IPL 2024 season, especially given that he led Gujarat to an IPL trophy and a runners-up finish in the previous two seasons.

Despite huge expectations, the Mumbai Indians ended at the bottom of the points table, winning only four matches out of 14 games. Hardik scored 216 runs at an average of 18 as a player and took 11 wickets. Given his previous success, Pandya’s captaincy has been more forgettable this season.

Fortunes can change quickly in a tournament, and no team knows this better than the Rajasthan Royals (RR). They were leading the points table for over a month, looking like the most balanced side. But then they hit a rough patch, slowly slipping to third place, and eventually getting knocked out. Things started to fall apart as they lost four games in a row towards the end of the tournament, ruining their chances of making it to Qualifier 1.

RR managed to bounce back with a crucial win in the Eliminator against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, giving them some hope. However, they couldn’t keep the momentum going and lost to Sunrisers in Qualifier 2, ending their tournament run. Despite their strong start, the sudden losses proved too much to overcome, leading to their elimination.

See Also: IPL 2024: CSK Review: What factors contributed to the Yellow Army’s inability to retain the IPL title?

High Point of the Tournament – Jos Buttler’s Ton vs KKR

The incident occurred last month when Jos Buttler delivered an incredible knock of 107 off 60 balls against KKR at Eden Gardens, securing his seventh IPL hundred, just one shy of Virat Kohli’s record of eight hundreds. Leading the chase of 224, Buttler played a crucial role in scripting an epic victory. The match also featured a blistering century from Sunil Narine, but Buttler stood out with his nerves of steel, guiding the Royals to a thrilling win by 2 wickets.

Low Point of the Tournament – 4 losses in a row

The Royals were close to playoff qualification with 8 wins by the end of April 2024. They led the points table for four straight weeks, but the month of May didn’t treat them well. They lost three consecutive away games against SRH, DC, and CSK, respectively, before suffering a defeat at their second home in Guwahati. RR lost to Punjab Kings by 5 wickets, and their last league stage game against KKR was abandoned due to rain. Despite this rough patch, their strong performance in the first half of the tournament ensured a top-four finish.

Sanju Samson had a mixed season as a captain but a decent one overall. Under his leadership, the Royals soared high before losing balance when some of their match-winning players had to leave. Nonetheless, he managed the remaining resources wisely, although the results didn’t favor them in the end. Samson’s strategic efforts kept the team competitive, even as they faced significant challenges in the latter part of the season.

Most Valuable Player: Riyan Parag

The IPL 2024 showcased the emergence of Riyan Parag as a prominent batter. Known for his bowling in previous editions, Parag focused on his batting this season, building on an impressive domestic season across formats. He finished as the highest run-scorer for Rajasthan Royals (RR), amassing 573 runs in 16 matches. This remarkable performance placed him third on the overall IPL 2024 run-scoring list, behind only Virat Kohli (741 runs) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (583 runs).