"He is an incredible human being": RR star hails Rahul Dravid ahead of IPL 2025 match against PBKS

Rajasthan Royals (RR) opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal has hailed the influence of head coach Rahul Dravid on his life and cricketing career. The 23-year-old said that having him around was a "privilege" and he offered guidance that was important to the growth of an individual as well as the team.

Jaiswal said that the 52-year-old was "supportive" and "caring" and gave confidence to the players in the team.

"He is supportive, caring, and always looking out for everyone. He instills confidence in players, reassures them they’re on the right path, and offers guidance that's essential for growth—both individually and as a team. He is an incredible human being. Having someone like Rahul Dravid Sir in this era is a privilege," Jaiswal told JioHotstar.

Jaiswal added that there was a lot to learn from how Dravid conducted himself off the field. He added that the former India head coach's "grace, composure, and humility" were inspirational.

"Watching him up close is a learning experience. His grace, composure, and humility are qualities that truly inspire. There’s so much more to learn from how he conducts himself off the field," the southpaw said.

Rahul Dravid returns to RR as head coach after nine years

After his stint as the coach of the Indian men's cricket team ended in June 2024, Dravid was appointed as the head coach of RR in September 2024. He returned to the franchise after a gap of nine years, having been associated with the inaugural champions as a player between 2011 and 2013 and as a mentor in the 2014 and 2015 IPL seasons.

"I am pleased to be returning to the franchise I have called 'home' for a number of years in the past. After the World Cup, I feel it's the ideal time for me to take on another challenge, and the Royals is the perfect place to do that. A lot of hard work and deliberations from Manoj, Jake, Kumar and the team has gone into the progression that the franchise has made over the past few years," Dravid said in a statement released by RR.

After RR were suspended from the league for the 2016 and 2017 IPL seasons, Dravid joined the Delhi franchise as their head coach. In 2021, he was appointed the coach of the Indian men's cricket team.

Under Dravid, India won the 2024 T20 World Cup and reached the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, where they finished runners-up to Australia. India lost to the same opposition in the 2023 World Test Championship final at the Oval.