Rajasthan Royals (RR) shared a cryptic post on social media ahead of the upcoming mini-auction, which is scheduled to take place on December 16 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The inaugural IPL champions had hinted at appointing Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara as the head coach after the departure of Rahul Dravid.
Dravid had left the post of Rajasthan head coach in August. The former captain stepped down after only one season despite signing a multi-year contract. Notably, the franchise revealed that they had offered him a wider position, but he declined it. RR has not yet announced who will replace Dravid.
Rahul Dravid joins Rajasthan ahead of 2025 season
Rahul Dravid joins Rajasthan ahead of the 2025 season after leading India to the T20 World Cup title. He suffered a knee injury before the tournament and worked with the team on crutches. However, the team could not achieve a winning streak under his coaching.
Rajasthan Royals faced a difficult campaign, winning only four of their 14 matches. They spent most of the season bottom of the table and eventually finished ninth. Due to Sanju Samson’s injury, Riyan Parag took over the captaincy in many matches.
Rajasthan also extended their long title drought, having not lifted the trophy since their inaugural win in 2008. Notably, Samson moved to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the mini-auction. Royals got all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran in return.
Rajasthan Royals share cryptic post featuring Travis Head’s image
Rajasthan Royals caused a stir on social media after posting a three-part image on Instagram. The graphic featured yellow sunglasses at the top, the number 11.11 in the center, and Travis Head’s smiling face at the bottom.
The team did not provide a clarification, leaving fans to decode the teaser themselves as the franchise prepares for changes ahead of IPL 2026. The cryptic post immediately gave rise to speculations about Kumar Sangakkara.
Several fans shared that the yellow sunglasses are his signature eyewear, the number 11 matches his jersey number, and added a photo of Travis Head with the word “Head”, hinting at a possible head-coach role.
– Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) 16 November 2025
Fans began sharing their interpretations online, with a combination of clues possibly pointing towards Sangakkara stepping down as the next head coach of Rajasthan.
Kumar Sangakkara is part of the franchise from 2021
According to reports, Rajasthan Royals are preparing to bring back Kumar Sangakkara to their coaching setup. Sangakkara has been a part of the franchise since 2021. He has been the director of cricket and served as the head coach from 2021 to 2024.
RR reached the playoffs twice and finished runners-up in 2022. Sangakkara is ready to plan for the upcoming auction. Assistants Vikram Rathod and Shane Bond are expected to remain with the team. Trevor Penny and Siddharth Lahiri are also likely to return to the support staff.
Although the franchise has not made any official announcement yet, recent cryptic social media posts have fueled speculation among fans. As Rajasthan Royals prepare for big decisions ahead of IPL 2026, they will announce the return of Sangakkara as head coach in the coming weeks.
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