IPL: Rajasthan Royals clean house after dismal 2025 season

Rajasthan Royals clean house after dismal 2025 season (AP Photo)

Out with the old, in with the new. After a forgettable 2025 season, in which they finished ninth, the Rajasthan Royals have pressed the reset button. Weeks after Rahul Dravid — who was the head coach during the 2025 season — parted ways with the franchise, a series of resignations have followed. First, Jake Lush McCrum, former CEO of the franchise, stepped down, and now the team has ended contracts with spin-bowling coach Sairaj Bahutule and fielding coach Dishant Yagnik.

While Dishant and Jake had been part of the setup for a long time, Dravid and Bahutule only joined the team last year. After completing his tenure as head coach of the Indian team, Dravid rejoined the franchise as head coach. Bahutule, who came on board after his stint at the National Cricket Academy, was appointed as the spin-bowling coach.

If reports are to be believed, strength and conditioning coach Varun Ghosh has also been relieved of his duties.

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Only batting coach Vikram Rathour and bowling coach Shane Bond are set to be retained. It's a major overhaul of the coaching setup. Reports suggest that Kumar Sangakkara, who has been RR's Director of Cricket since 2021, is set to take on the role of head coach. The Sri Lankan great has already informally started planning for the 2026 season. With a new chief calling the shots — and Sangakkara likely to be back at the helm — he will have a say in selecting candidates for the vacant coaching roles. A similar scenario unfolded at Punjab Kings when Ricky Ponting took over last year. Ponting assembled his own coaching team and led his side to the final last season.

Sangakkara is said to be in talks with lead owner Manoj Badale regarding the changes to the setup. The duo will play a key role in formulating this year’s auction strategy. As the first move, Trevor Penney — who has previously worked with the Royals — is likely to be recalled to the franchise.
Cracks in the team were visible during the 2025 IPL. With captain Sanju Samson injured and Riyan Parag taking over, there appeared to be confusion regarding team selection. On several occasions, meetings were seen taking place near the boundary line, with Samson noticeably absent.

Ahead of this year’s auction, large-scale changes are expected. A number of players are likely to be released, and there is uncertainty surrounding Samson’s future. When the chips are down, tough decisions follow and the team’s recent overhaul proves just that.