Sanjiv Goenka, owner of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), addressed KL Rahul’s future with the franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). This follows speculation about tensions between Rahul and the team, and rumors of him leaving LSG to join RCB.
Goenka dismissed these rumors and reports, stating at a press conference on August 28 that he preferred not to comment further on the matter.
But mentioned that KL Rahul is like a family to him. Speaking to reporters, he said, “I don’t want to comment on speculation. All I will say is KL Rahul is family.”
Sanjiv Goenka and KL Rahul have been a focal point of news since the last IPL season. Goenka was notably critical of Rahul after the team suffered consecutive heavy defeats. This led to speculation that Rahul might leave the franchise.
Reports suggested that Rahul was negotiating with several teams, particularly Royal Challengers Bangalore. It was rumored that Rahul would join his hometown team and potentially take on the captaincy, given their need for an Indian leader.
Recently, Rahul and Goenka met at the franchise’s Kolkata office. Although Rahul expressed a desire to remain with the team, Goenka did not make any commitments, as the team management needed to review their retention policy first.
“Yes, Rahul came to Kolkata and met Dr Goenka at RPG head office. He has told Dr Goenka that he wants to be retained. However, till BCCI comes up with a retention policy, LSG management wouldn’t want to chalk out their plans. Look, Rahul wants retention but till LSG knows how many are to be retained and what’s the new purse, they can’t commit anyone,” a source told PTI.
KL Rahul is an important and integral part of the Supergiants family – Sanjiv Goenka
Amid all the speculations, Sanjiv Goenka during the press conference also mentioned that KL Rahul is an important part of the Lucknow Super Giants family. He said as quoted by RevSports, “KL Rahul is an important and integral part of the Supergiants family.”
Sanjiv Goenka was also asked if KL Rahul would be leading the time. He said that they have a lot of time to decide about captaincy and retentions and they will be making decisions after discussions. He said:
“Still enough time to decide on retention and captaincy. Everything has to be very well thought out.”
In the meantime, the Lucknow Super Giants have announced the appointment of Zaheer Khan as their mentor for the 2025 IPL season. The former Indian fast bowler stated, “I will ensure that the necessary processes are in place to elevate LSG to the next level. The upcoming season is set to be special.”
Zaheer Khan will collaborate with head coach Justin Langer in the IPL. Additionally, the coaching staff will include Adam Voges, Lance Klusener, Jonty Rhodes, and others.
