March,19 : Rajasthan Royals batting coach Vikram Rathour described it as no surprise to find Rahul Dravid reporting for their pre-season training camp with a broken leg, lavishing praise on his dedication. Rathour pointed out that Dravid has been actively involved in coaching work ahead of the IPL 2025 season, which begins on 22 March.
Dravid managed a training camp for the Royals, led by Sanju Samson, in February before staging a surprise comeback to competitive cricket in Bengaluru. He played for the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Group III league with his son Anvay. But while playing for Vijaya Cricket Club, Dravid injured his leg and had to spend time on the sidelines.
The 52-year-old was spotted sporting a cast on his left leg while returning to the pre-season camp in Jaipur. In spite of his injury, Dravid has been navigating the field on a special wheelchair and monitoring the Royals’ preparations. Dravid also participated in the Holi celebration with the team in Jaipur.
“Rahul sir has always been the same. Even when he used to play, he used to play with a lot of enthusiasm. He has always been very dedicated to what he does. He has hurt his leg, basically torn a tendon. But you can still observe how dedicated he is. He is sitting with the players, talking to them one-to-one, taking group sessions, and strategising. His dedication is unflinching, and he is here fully,” Rathour added in a press conference on Tuesday, March 18.
Vikram Rathour has joined Rahul Dravid once again at Rajasthan Royals, a year since their stints with the senior national team came to an end. The much-respected batting coach enjoys a good working relationship with Dravid, having collaborated to guide India to title triumph at the T20 World Cup 2024.
If asked to work with Dravid once again, Rathour replied, “There is not much difference. We have worked together before, and he is a great coach. I enjoyed my stint with him. When we were with the Indian team, we were lucky enough to win the World Cup. The only difference is that the IPL is a shorter season, while Indian cricket is year-round.”
Rajasthan Royals retained a good core but released some big names like Yuzvendra Chahal, Jos Buttler, and R Ashwin prior to the mega auction. They have replaced them with new faces like Jofra Archer, Nitish Rana, Tushar Deshpande, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Maheesh Theekshana.
Also, the Royals have signed 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi after his brilliant show in the 2024-25 domestic season for Bihar. Rathour was all praise for the young gun, and he was confident that he could go on to have fantastic success at the top level.
Rajasthan Royals will start their IPL 2025 tourney against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad on March 23.
