Vikram Rathour Shakes Hands With The Rajasthan Royals
The Rajasthan Royals have appointed former Indian opener Vikram Rathour as their new batting coach. With six tests to his credit for India, Rathour walks into the Rajasthan Royals’ dressing room with rich experience having served as Indian Cricket Team’s batting coach during the recent coaching stint. His tenure with the men in blue ended on a high as India under his guidance won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in June 2024. Former Team India Coaching Reunion At The Royals Vikram Rathour was appointed after another Rajasthan Royals big-hitting move: they signed former India head coach Rahul Dravid on a multi-year deal last week. The 48-year-old Dravid, often called “The Wall” for his remarkable batting and leadership abilities, will take up the position of head coach after leading India to their first ICC title in 11 years, with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. Royals Eye 2025 Title After Narrow Miss in IPL 2024 On paper, the Royals have given some fantastic performances during recent seasons however they were bowed out to Sunrisers Hyderabad in Qualifier 2 in IPL 2024. Given that Rathour and Dravid have most recently guided a team towards the trophy, that too in T20s, the Rajasthan Royals is anticipated to go all the way to the trophy in IPL 2025. Building a Winning Culture The appointment of Rahul Dravid and Vikram Rathour will surely serve as a buildup ahead of the new season as these massive inclusions seek to hint at Rajasthan Royals’ intentions at having a title shot. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IPL 2025: Rahul Dravid To Potentially Join Rajasthan Royals As Head Coach
Former Indian Cricket Team head coach Rahul Dravid, might soon make a comeback to the Indian Premier League (IPL) as the head coach of Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the IPL 2025 season. Sources revealed that the discussions are ongoing between Dravid and the franchise and fans could expect an official announcement soon. DRAVID’S CONNECTION WITH RR The 51-year-old, who recently led the Indian Cricket Team to victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, has a deep connection with Rajasthan Royals. He previously captained the Royals and played a crucial role in taking them to the final of the Champions League T20 in 2013. Even after retiring, Dravid stayed involved, mentoring the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2014 and IPL 2015 before moving on to coach various levels of Indian cricket. As a coach he has been very supportive towards his players and captains bot at the Royals and at the Indian Cricket Team. “Talks are going on between Dravid and RR and an announcement in this regard is round the corner,” a source familiar with the talks revealed. JOURNEY WITH THE INDIAN CRICKET TEAM Dravid’s coaching journey with the Indian Cricket Team reached its pinnacle with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup victory in June this year. His strategic approach towards the players and guidance helped Rohit Sharma and his Indian Cricket Team to secure their second ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title. It was a moment of immense pride for Dravid, who had faced a setback in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 final against Australia. A ROYAL HOMECOMING ON THE CARDS Having also served as the head coach after succeeding Ravi Shastri in 2021 and as chairman of the National Cricket Academy, Dravid’s potential return to the IPL with the Rajasthan Royals hints at a promising new chapter. The Rajasthan Royals is renowned for nurturing young talent and Dravid’s vast experience and knowledge could be a massive boost for the Royals. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
IPL 2024 Playoffs: RCB & RR can pack their bags, KKR & SRH To Play the Final, Know Why?
The IPL 2024 group stages recently concluded with all teams having played 14 games each. Four teams have qualified for the playoffs of the tournament that will conclude the winner of the tournament. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are the teams that have qualified for the play off rounds. With KKR being in solid form and SRH literally breathing fire, it would be fair to say that RCB and RR can pack their bags and get ready to leave for their homes. Here are the reasons why? IPL PLAYOFFS SCENARIOS (SINCE 2011) LEAGUE STAGE FINISH NUMBER OF TIMES IPL WINNERS YEARS 1st Position 4 times MI – 2017, 2019, 2020, GT- 2022 2nd Position 8 times CSK – 2011, 2018, 2021 KKR – 2012, 2014MI – 2013, 2015, 2019 3rd Position 1 time SRH – 2016 4th Position NIL NIL The above mentioned are the numbers since the introduction of playoffs in IPL 2011. OVERALL IPL TOP 4 SCENARIOS LEAGUE STAGE FINISH NUMBER OF TIMES IPL WINNERS YEARS 1st Position 5 times 2008, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022 2nd Position 8 times 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2021, 2023 3rd Position 2 times 2010, 2016 4th Position 1 time 2009 Considering the current scenario for both RCB and RR, RCB do not possess a very good record in IPL knockout games. On the flip side, RR currently are under immense pressure with four losses on the bounce and losing a game through a rain washout as well. IPL PLAYOFFS EXPLAINEDThe Indian Premier League (IPL) follows a specific playoff format that determines which teams advance to the final and ultimately win the trophy. The terms “qualifiers,” “eliminators,” and “final” refer to different stages in this playoff system. Here’s a detailed explanation of each: 1. Qualifiers:– Qualifier 1: This match is played between the top two teams on the points table at the end of the league stage. The winner of this match directly advances to the IPL final.– Qualifier 2: This match involves the loser of Qualifier 1 and the winner of the Eliminator. The winner of Qualifier 2 moves on to the IPL final. 2. Eliminator:– The Eliminator match is played between the third and fourth-placed teams on the points table. The loser of this match is eliminated from the tournament. The winner proceeds to play in Qualifier 2. 3. Final:– The final is the championship match of the IPL, played between the winners of Qualifier 1 and Qualifier. – The team that wins the final is crowned the IPL champion for that season. This playoff system ensures that the top teams from the league stage get a fair chance to compete for the title, while also maintaining a knockout element for added excitement and unpredictability. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye