Rajasthan Royals has offered Gautam Gambhir a significant contract for a key leadership role within the team. As the inaugural IPL champions, they want Gambhir to fulfill three roles as franchise mentor, CEO, and partner. To encourage his involvement, the Royals are willing to provide Gambhir with ownership rights in the team.
Currently, Gambhir is the head coach of the Indian Cricket team, which prevents him from accepting this role. He is focused on the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and has not yet informed the franchise about his availability.
Gambhir will return to the IPL once he completes his responsibilities with Team India. He is committed until 2027, after which he can consider any IPL opportunities once his contract ends.
Why BCCI Rules Prevent Gambhir from Joining RR Now
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has rules that currently bar Gambhir from joining the Rajasthan Royals. According to BCCI regulations, a coach of the Indian national team cannot simultaneously work with an IPL franchise.
This rule was not always in place. Previously, coaches could manage both national and IPL duties, as seen when Rahul Dravid coached India A and Under-19 teams while also working with Delhi Capitals. The BCCI implemented this rule after IPL 2017 to avoid conflicts of interest.
Dravid decided to leave his IPL role due to this requirement to focus exclusively on Indian cricket. Gary Kirsten faced a similar issue, unable to accept a national coaching position because of his IPL commitments.
Gambhir’s current contract with India extends until the 2027 ODI World Cup, and he may continue until 2028 when cricket returns to the Olympics. If he stays with the team, there’s a chance he could become the first Indian head coach to win an Olympic medal.
Under Gambhir’s leadership, India has seen significant success in T20 matches, remaining unbeaten in all T20I series. The board values his contributions and trusts him to carry out his national responsibilities during this period.
