3 teams who should target Rahul Dravid as head coach for IPL 2026 after RR exit ft. KKR

Rahul Dravid ended his tenure as head coach of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) ahead of IPL 2026. His stint came to an end just after one season with the team. While he had a multi-year contract, his exit came as a surprise to many.

The Rajasthan Royals did not have a great IPL 2025. The former champions finished ninth on the points table. Rahul Dravid was offered a broader position within the franchise, but declined the same.

The India legend has great credentials as a coach, having worked at the NCA, with the India A side, and the national senior men's team as well. Under Dravid, India won the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup.

His exit from Rajasthan could open doors for him to be a part of a new franchise come IPL 2026. That said, here are three teams that should target Rahul Dravid as their head coach for the next season.

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#3 SunRisers Hyderabad

2016 IPL champions SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) failed to make the playoffs last season. They played the final in 2024 but finished sixth with 13 points in 2025. While Daniel Vettori is their current head coach, SRH may look to part ways with the former Kiwi following their poor display in the past season.

Rahul Dravid, having plenty of experience working with youngsters, could fit in well with several young Indian names in the side like Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Rahul Chahar, among others.

Therefore, his experience of developing young talents and having worked with an established leader like Rohit Sharma could also form a solid combination alongside Pat Cummins at SRH.

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#2 Lucknow Super Giants

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) had a disappointing IPL 2025 season. They finished seventh with 12 points. In 2024, they failed to make the playoffs. While they made the top four in their first two seasons, the last years have not produced the desired results for them.

Justin Langer took over as LSG head coach in 2024. With the team not performing well under him in two seasons, they could eye a change in personnel. His future may be uncertain. Moreover, with Zaheer Khan likely to part ways with the franchise as mentor as well, they are likely to look at a new face.

Rishabh Pant, LSG's captain, and Rahul Dravid, as the head coach, could make for a brilliant combination as they aim to turn around their fortunes. Dravid has worked with Pant at both the junior and senior levels in the past.

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#1 Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

IPL 2024 winners, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), had a tough time defending their title last year. They finished eighth with five wins and 12 points. Notably, the franchise parted ways with head coach Chandrakant Pandit post IPL 2025.

The three-time champions are therefore on the lookout for a new head coach ahead of IPL 2026. With the spot vacant, KKR may as well look to bring Rahul Dravid into the mix.

As Ajinkya Rahane failed to take the team to the playoffs as skipper, they could opt for a new leader as well. In such a scenario, having an experienced head coach would be of utmost importance. KKR also have several talented Indian youngsters like Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, and Umran Malik, among others, who could benefit from Dravid's presence.