New Delhi: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in the 2024 IPL season, rising from the ashes of two consecutive seventh-place finishes to claim their third championship title. Much of the credit goes to Gautam Gambhir, who returned to the franchise as a mentor and replicated the success he achieved as captain during their previous championship runs. However, Gambhirs imminent appointment as head coach of the Indian mens cricket team leaves a void in KKRs leadership for the 2025 season.Rahul Dravid and the Indian Cricket teamEnter Rahul Dravid, the recently departed head coach of Team India. Despite leading the national team to heartbreaking defeats in the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup finals last year, both against Australia, Dravid orchestrated a triumphant comeback by securing the T20 World Cup trophy in Barbados last month. Following the victory, Dravid jokingly expressed his impending unemployment to reporters, hinting at his openness to new opportunities.Dravids dedication to cricket extends beyond his illustrious playing career. Since his retirement in 2012, he has actively contributed to player development through coaching roles. His stint as mentor for the Rajasthan Royals (2014-2015) coincided with his service as Team India mentor for the 2014 England tour. Subsequently, he took on the head coach mantle for the India U-19 and A teams, where he is credited with nurturing future stars like Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, and Washington Sundar. He also served as a mentor for the Delhi IPL franchise in 2016.KKR running for DravidAccording to sources, several IPL franchises, including KKR, have reportedly expressed interest in acquiring Dravids services as either coach or mentor for the 2025 season. KKR, desperate to fill the void left by Gambhirs departure, is even prepared to offer a more lucrative package than the 12 crore rupees Dravid earned as head coach of Team India.Meanwhile, Gambhirs farewell video for KKR was reportedly filmed last week in Kolkata. As per many reports, an official appointment as Indias head coach is imminent, with the Sri Lanka white-ball tour later this month likely being his first assignment.
