Gautam Gambhir is reportedly set to become the new head coach of the Indian national team. Rahul Dravid has been approached to replace him as the mentor of the KKR franchise in the IPL. Prior to IPL 2024, Gambhir was appointed as the mentor of the Knight Riders, with co-owner Shah Rukh Khan reportedly giving him a 10-year plan. However, Gambhir found the opportunity to coach the Indian team more interesting.

With Gautam Gambhir set to join the Indian national team, the Knight Riders will face a significant leadership void. Gambhir guided KKR to the IPL 2024 title, proving valuable to the team’s success. To fill this impending gap, KKR’s management has reportedly placed Rahul Dravid at the top of their shortlist for the mentor role that Gambhir has vacated.

According to a News 18 Bangla report, several IPL franchises are interested in hiring Rahul Dravid as a coach or mentor for the 2025 season. The Knight Riders franchise has also identified Dravid as a potential candidate, though they have not yet engaged in any formal discussions with him.

After India’s triumph in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa, Rahul Dravid joked about being jobless and asked reporters if they had any job offers for him. Given Dravid’s experience in Indian cricket, it’s no surprise that franchises are lining up to secure his services.

The former India captain has extensive experience both as a mentor and coach. Since retiring from the IPL, Dravid has taken on coaching responsibilities for India’s junior national teams, including the Under-19 and India A squads.

Prior to accepting the India coaching position in 2021, he served as the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.