KL Rahul referred to as 'family' by LSG owner, but team's retention strategy remains unclear

Sanjiv Goenka, the owner of Lucknow Super Giants, remained tight-lipped about the team's retention strategy and the future of captain KL Rahul with the franchise. However, he acknowledged that the impending mega auction will require the team to undergo a reset in certain aspects as they prepare for the upcoming IPL 2025 season.

Speaking to the media in Kolkata alongside newly unveiled mentor Zaheer Khan, Goenka said LSG's retention decisions will not be made with a short-term view.

"All decisions are medium-term and need to be thought of carefully," he said. "When you have a mega auction you are bound to have a reset. But you try and maintain as much of the core as possible. The coach Justin Langer continues, [support staff] Lance Klusener and Jonty Rhodes will also be there. So it is a question of improving and going further from where you are now."

Rahul, the LSG captain since the team's first IPL in 2022, was in Kolkata this week and met Goenka. Goenka did not get into the details of their conversation, but called Rahul "family".

"I have been meeting KL on and off regularly over the last three years," Goenka said. "Frankly I am surprised this meeting is getting a lot of attention [in the media]. He is integral [to LSG]. He has been here since the inception. For me personally and for [my son] Shashwat [Goenka, who is also involved in running LSG], he is like family."

After two playoff appearances in IPL 2022 and 2023, LSG missed the playoffs for the first time in the 2024 season, finishing seventh on the table because of a poor net run rate. It was the first time the franchise did not have the services of mentor Gautam Gambhir, who had moved to Kolkata Knight Riders. In the coming season, Goenka believes Zaheer's presence "will do wonders" for the team.

"Beginning of a new relationship. Zaheer has impressed me as a player, coach and strategist," Goenka said. "His hunger for success is something that attracted me to bring him into the LSG franchise.

Zaheer Khan was formally named Lucknow Super Giants' mentor on Wednesday

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"A couple of weeks ago, I realised he wasn't with any cricket franchise. I called him up. We spoke. He agreed. And he's here. It's as short and as quick as it gets. We are very excited to have him on board."

Zaheer, who had been associated with Mumbai Indians from 2018 to 2022 as director of cricket and head of global development, said he will serve in a similar role at LSG. He said he was particularly impressed with the "building blocks" put together by a "young franchise in only three years", and felt that he shared the owners' vision.

"Yes it happened exactly in the same words how Mr Goenka explained. We got on a call and realised we have a similar stance on many topics about cricket," Zaheer said. "We discussed the direction, the culture, the brand the team wants to play. The building blocks are already in place. It's a relatively young franchise but it doesn't seem like that. Reaching playoffs in this fiercely competitive league isn't easy and [seeing their progress] gives me confidence."

"It is a team game, so I will be serving the team in every capacity possible, and yes, it includes bowling. If I am there in the set-up, does the team need another bowling coach?" he said with a smile. "When you see LSG, their journey is only three years but they are as comparable to the teams who have played the IPL for 17-18 years. The building blocks are in place and we need to take them forward. Decision-making will be something we'll work on, since it is something that can differentiate teams."

As it stands, LSG's roster includes Rahul, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Krunal Pandya, Quinton de Kock, Naveen-ul-Haq and Devdutt Padikkal, among others. The teams are expected to know the IPL's retention rules in early September, after which they will decide on whom to retain, possibly with a late-November deadline, before the mega auction leading into IPL 2025.