New Delhi: Amid speculations over his future with the franchise, skipper KL Rahul reportedly met Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka on Monday, August 26. Rahul was roped in as LSG’s skipper ahead of the franchise’s debut in the IPL in 2022 and has since led the team in all three seasons. LSG qualified for the playoffs in their first two seasons but failed to make it to the knockouts in IPL 2024 as they endured a disappointing season, finishing at the 7th spot with 14 points from as many matches.
Rahul and LSG owner Goenks were involved in an animated chat following the team’s shattering 10-wicket defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a league game. Goenka’s public outburst at Rahul was caught on camera and went viral, evoking criticism from all corners for the LSG owner.
After LSG’s dismal run in IPL 2024, reports suggested not all was well between Rahul and the franchise and that he might not be retained ahead of the mega auction this year. There have also been rumours of Rahul’s potential return to his former franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) if he gets released by LSG.
As per a report in Cricbuzz, Rahul met Goenka at his office on Judges Court Road in Alipore on Sunday, August 25. The meeting between the two lasted an hour. While the exact details of the discussion remain unknown, as per the report, their meeting was centred around the LSG skipper’s potential retention and the team combination heading into the IPL 2025 mega auction.
It remains uncertain whether LSG will retain Rahul in the manga auction, however, the meeting between him and Goenka suggests things could be moving in a positive direction for both parties. As per the report, the speculations surrounding Rahul’s return to RCB remain unconfirmed.
Zaheer Khan to be LSG’s mentor in IPL 2025
LSG and other franchises’ auction strategies will depend on the retention rules which are yet to be finalised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the IPL 2025 mega auction. It is yet to be confirmed how many players will each franchise be able to retain heading into the mega auction and how many RTMs will be allowed for each team.
BCCI had earlier received varied opinions from the ten franchises regarding the number of players they wanted to retain ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Meanwhile, Rahul’s meeting with LSG owner Goenka comes at a time when the franchise has reportedly decided to rope in former India pacer Zaheer Khan as their mentor ahead of the next season.
Zaheer will replace current India head coach Gautam Gambhir, who served as LSG’s mentor for two seasons from 2022 to 2023. Gambhir left LSG to join Kolkata Knight Riders as a mentor ahead of IPL 2024 before taking over from Rahul Dravid as the India head coach earlier this year. Zaheer has previously worked with Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
Amid reports that he might not be retained by the franchise and return to his former team Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), KL Rahul met Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka at his Kolkata office on Monday. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
