Stressing the importance of sticking to the process rather than straightly targeting the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final on May 25, Rajasthan Royals head coach Rahul Dravid on Thursday maintained that the overall aim of the franchise to add a second title remains the same but highlighted the importance of taking the right steps.

Addressing reporters during the Ticket launch event of the franchise at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium here, Dravid expressed his satisfaction at the composition of the new-look Rajasthan Royals side, saying that the likes of Riyan Parag could be younger by age but has rich experience of playing in excess of 50 games in the cash-rich league.

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“Rajasthan Royals won the inaugural IPL, and then we have come closer a few times. The aim of everyone in the franchise is to win another title. Every time we have come into the tournament and in order to get to that, there are a lot of steps along the way. There is no point thinking about May 25th if we don’t get the process right,” said Dravid.

“As a coach, I don’t score a single run nor take a single wicket. As a coach, a lot of my work is to support Sanju Samson, and back a lot of the other players to play freely and play with clarity, and play the best cricket they can. There is no question of being aggressive for me.

“We have a great bunch of players, right from the seasoned ones to the new or rather lesser-known players. The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, and Riyan Parag have been in the set-up for a while, and for someone like a Riyan, he may be young but in terms of IPL experience he has played more than 50 games in the IPL,” he added.

Dravid, who is in the city for the team’s pre-season camp, highlighted the areas that the team is working on. “We are working on various aspects of our game, focusing on both physical conditioning and strategic planning to ensure we are in peak shape going into the 2025 IPL season. The squad is motivated and excited, and we look forward to making the most of our time here in Guwahati.”

The former India head coach, who guided India to the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Americas in June last year, also rated the conditions at the Barsapara Stadium highly. Unlike the last two seasons, this year, the two matches in Guwahati have been planned in the early stages of the tournament to reduce chances of rain-affected matches, given that the pre-monsoon sets in April in this part of the country.

Dravid said that the conditions seem to be ideal for cricket, and hopes to have two full games. The Rajasthan Royals will face Kolkata Knight Riders on March 26 before taking on the Chennai Super Kings on March 30. Both the matches will begin at 7:30 PM.

“I think the conditions are really good, the practice wickets are excellent. I haven’t played here, but from my experience of being with the team playing in Guwahati, it’s a fantastic wicket to bat on. I’m not sure about the monsoon, but I’m hoping that there won’t be monsoon in March, and can have two full games. But the facilities are superb, the capacities of the ground are great, we have full faith on the groundsmen that they will prepare the best wicket to play on March 26,” he said.

Two home grounds — an advantage

Exuding confidence in his team’s ability to adapt to different conditions, the legendary batter was excited at the prospect of the team having two home grounds, and praised Rajasthan Royals’ initiative of taking the game to newer audiences.

On being asked if having two home grounds is a disadvantage, considering the logistics and travel woes involved, Dravid said, “Honestly, I don’t see it as a disadvantage at all. I’m excited to play the Rajasthan Royals brand of cricket in Assam, it gives us an opportunity to showcase our cricket to the people of Assam.”

“It’s really exciting to see the game developing in different parts of India, and developing the game in the Northeast. We see this as a home ground as well, it’s a fantastic advantage to have two home grounds.

“I have no doubt that we’ll make Guwahati as much a home as we have in Jaipur. Obviously we’re playing in two different venues but I don’t see it as a challenge. I’m excited to play here in Guwahati and I think we have the team that can adapt to different conditions,” he added.

Online tickets available from Thursday

Rajasthan Royals CEO Jake Lush McCrum announced that tickets are now live online for their home match against KKR on March 26. The tickets for the highly-anticipated clash against Chennai Super Kings (March 30) will be launched later this month.

“We are thrilled to bring the IPL experience back to the Northeast for the third consecutive year, reinforcing our commitment to growing the game and engaging with our passionate fanbase in Assam. The excitement for cricket in this region is incredible, and with two massive matches against Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings, we look forward to creating unforgettable moments at ACA Stadium in Guwahati. With ticket sales now live for the Kolkata Knight Riders game, we can’t wait to see the stands filled with our incredible supporters, cheering for the Royals.”

Fans will be able to secure their tickets starting from ₹1,600 onwards. For young fans and students, Rajasthan Royals will introduce a special ₹500 ticket category, allowing them to witness their favourite stars in action.