Did Parag’s Captaincy Push And A ‘Punishment Promotion’ Force Dravid Out Of RR?

With Sanju Samson likely on his way out, Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) plan to promote Riyan Parag as captain over more established names like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Dhruv Jurel reportedly did not go down well with Rahul Dravid. According to PTI, this was one of the major reasons behind Dravid’s decision to step down as RR's head coach.

The announcement was made on August 30 (Saturday). Though Dravid was offered a “broader position” within the franchise, he chose not to accept it, bringing an end to his association with the Royals.

In their official statement, RR said: "Rahul has been central to the Royals' journey over many years. His leadership has influenced a generation of players, built strong values within the squad, and left an indelible mark on the culture of the franchise. The Rajasthan Royals, its players, and millions of fans worldwide extend heartfelt thanks to Rahul for his remarkable service to the franchise. As part of a recent structural review, the franchise had offered Dravid a broader position, but he opted not to take up the role.”

Dravid took over as RR’s head coach after leading India to the T20 World Cup title in the Caribbean last year. However, his first season in charge ended in disappointment as the team managed just four wins in 14 games and finished ninth. This was not Dravid’s first stint with the franchise. He had captained the Royals in 2012 and 2013, and later served as a mentor in 2014 and 2015.

According to PTI, the “broader position” offered to him was perceived as a “punishment promotion,” one that would have left him out of crucial decision-making, particularly in matters of squad building and captaincy.

During the 2025 season, Samson missed games due to injuries and also featured as an impact player in a couple of matches. In his absence, Parag was handed the captaincy. While the Assam batter was decent with the bat in IPL 2025 - scoring 393 runs at an average of 32.75 and a strike rate of 166.5 - his captaincy returns were poor, with only two wins in eight matches.

Despite that, the Royals’ management is pushing to make Parag the full-time captain, citing his popularity in the North East, especially in Guwahati, where Barsapara Stadium serves as RR’s second home venue.

Parag, who has represented India in nine T20Is and one ODI, is yet to secure a permanent place in the national team and was left out of the Asia Cup 2025 squad. On the other hand, Jaiswal has emerged as one of India’s best Test batters in recent years, while Jurel is also part of the red-ball set-up and seen as a future leader.

Samson’s possible departure is another issue that reportedly upset Dravid, given his long-standing support for the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter. A source said: "Dravid has always backed Sanju - as a player and a leader. To see the team planning its next phase without much clarity on Sanju’s future likely added to his discomfort."