AB de Villiers on Rahul Dravid’s Rajasthan Royals Exit
IPL legend AB de Villiers has reacted strongly to Rahul Dravid’s exit from Rajasthan Royals. De Villiers claimed that the franchise decision looked like an “owner’s call” and suggested that Rahul Dravid may have been kicked out in Premier League fashion.
Returning to the Royals dugout after eight years, Dravid’s side finished ninth in the IPL 2025 season. Reports later emerged that captain Sanju Samson wanted to leave the franchise. The Royals confirmed Dravid’s exit last Saturday, stating he was offered a “broader” role which he turned down.
‘Owner’s Call’
“It sounds to me like it was an owner’s call, a management kind of call. They gave him an option to have a broader role in the team, which he turned down. Maybe he was upset and he wanted to still be involved in that dugout. Maybe it was his call. But Rahul leaves big footsteps behind and big shoes to fill. He is a larger than life kind of character and knows a lot about the game. I personally have spoken to youngsters before, where many speak about him having a huge influence in their careers,” remarked de Villiers on his YouTube channel.
De Villiers further suggested Dravid’s exit may mirror the harsh nature of Premier League football.
“The coaches and managers in leagues are under pressure to produce results and win trophies. Once they don’t, they start hearing from owners. We don’t know the facts but given he turned down the other role, maybe he was kicked out, which is never ideal. But maybe Rajasthan have different ideas for the upcoming season. Maybe they want to shake things up a bit and move forward.”
De Villiers Criticises Royals’ Mega Auction Strategy
De Villiers also criticised Rajasthan Royals’ IPL 2025 Mega Auction strategy. He called the decision to release star players like Jos Buttler a mistake.
“I didn’t think they had the greatest auction last time. They let go of some incredible players like Jos Buttler and a few others, which I thought was a mistake. Sometimes it’s a good thing but not overly aggressive. You can let one or two go but they let a huge bulk of their team go at once. It should be more gradual,” he added.
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