A new chapter is unfolding for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as they appoint former World Cup-winning Indian pacer Zaheer Khan as their team mentor for the 2025 IPL season. This strategic move by LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka signals the franchise’s intent to elevate their game and build a stronger team dynamic. During a press conference held to discuss the franchise’s future, Goenka proudly welcomed Zaheer into the LSG fold, marking a significant addition to their coaching lineup.

Zaheer Khan steps into a role previously held by Gautam Gambhir, who departed to rejoin Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) before the 2024 IPL season and is now the head coach of the Indian national team. Zaheer, however, is no stranger to leadership positions. Between 2018 and 2022, he played a crucial role in the Mumbai Indians (MI) setup, first as the director of cricket and later as the head of global development.

His experience in these roles, coupled with his illustrious playing career with MI, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Delhi Daredevils, makes him a valuable asset to LSG.

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Zaheer will work alongside LSG head coach Justin Langer, who is set to continue his tenure, and assistant coaches Lance Klusener and Adam Voges. Expressing his excitement at the press conference in Kolkata, Zaheer said, “I will ensure that the processes needed to take LSG to the next level are in place. The next season is going to be a special one.”

Zaheer, Lucknow ke dil mein aap bohot pehle se ho 🇮🇳💙 pic.twitter.com/S5S3YHUSX0

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) August 28, 2024

He’s here, guys 💙pic.twitter.com/K7Bp7tffVB

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) August 28, 2024

Amidst the excitement of Zaheer’s appointment, another significant issue looms: the future of KL Rahul with LSG. According to a Cricbuzz report, Rahul, who joined the Lucknow-based franchise for a whopping Rs 17 crore ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction, recently met with Sanjiv Goenka at the franchise’s Kolkata office. The hour-long meeting reportedly focused on team composition and the possibility of Rahul’s retention.

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While Goenka refrained from confirming whether Rahul would stay with LSG, his comments hinted at the importance of the Indian cricketer to the franchise. “I don’t want to comment on speculation,” Goenka stated, adding, “KL Rahul is family. He is an important and integral part of the Supergiants family.”

As LSG looks ahead to the 2025 season, the combination of Zaheer Khan’s leadership and the potential retention of KL Rahul could be pivotal in their quest for IPL glory.