What's Cooking Between Gareth Southgate and Rajasthan Royals?

Gareth Southgate, the former England football manager, had social media buzzing after he was spotted in Jaipur at the Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians IPL clash — and not just in the stands, but wearing a full pink Royals jersey. It didn’t stop there either. A few days later, he was seen again, this time at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata, watching Rajasthan take on the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Naturally, fans were curious. What’s Southgate — the man who led England to a World Cup semi-final in 2018 and back-to-back Euro finals in 2020 and 2024 — doing at IPL games halfway across the world? 

Turns out, this wasn’t some random drop-in. Southgate has always had a soft spot for cricket. In fact, back in 2016, shortly after England’s early exit from the Euros, he was playing village cricket in Yorkshire’s Nidderdale League. A resurfaced old scorecard even shows him trying to steer his team to a win with the bat. 

This time, he’s on a holiday in India with his wife, and there’s a deeper link to his IPL appearances. According to Sangbad Pratidin, his connection with Rajasthan Royals goes beyond fandom — he’s close to the franchise’s CEO, Jake Lush McCrum. Interestingly, McCrum has football roots too. His great-great-grandfather is credited with inventing the penalty kick. 

While Southgate is expected to spend time in Kolkata — widely regarded as the heart of Indian football — he likely won’t be visiting the legendary local clubs like East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, or Mohammedan SC. “Due to lack of time, he may not be able to visit the traditional football clubs in Kolkata, nor the former England manager. But he will stay at Eden,” Royals CEO Jake Lush McCrum said, as quoted in the report. Whether he’s on cricket duty or just enjoying the spectacle, Southgate’s IPL appearances have certainly added an interesting twist to this year’s tournament. 

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