Skip to main content

"Rahul Met LSG Owner, Wants Retention But...": Report Makes Big Revelation

The last season didn't end on a happy note but senior India batter KL Rahul has expressed his intentions about being retained to Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka although no such assurances have been given by the top boss. Rahul, a former national team vice captain, is no longer in the scheme of things as far as India's T20 format is concerned. Rahul led LSG to play-offs in the first two IPL seasons, but it was widely believed that Gautam Gambhir's strategic acumen had a lot to do with it rather than his leadership, which got thoroughly exposed in the third season.

"Yes, Rahul came to Kolkata and met Dr Goenka at RPG head office. He has clearly told Dr Goenka that he wants to be retained. However, till BCCI comes up with retention policy, LSG management wouldn't want to chalk out their plans," an IPL Governing Council member, privy to developments in LSG, told PTI on the condition of anonymity.

"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," the IPL source said.

The LSG management was unavailable for a comment.

Last year, Rahul's animated conversation with Goenka, after a heavy defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad, went viral although lot of people later called it a "frank discussion between owner and skipper".

It can be said that even if Rahul is retained by LSG, chances of which are minimal at the moment, he won't be the first retention.

Retaining someone like Rahul as first option could mean a sum of Rs 18 to 20 crore (if team purse is increased) would be deducted from auction purse. No franchises, currently looking at X factor players at the top, would invest that much on Rahul.

If Royal Challengers Bengaluru were serious about taking him back, he wouldn't have come to Kolkata on his own accord. It is believed that Rahul hasn't exactly got many franchises interested with his style of batting, which is sadly outdated in T20 cricket.

Apart from that, his leadership in all franchises that he has represented hasn't exactly worked well.

Last but not the least, unlike MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma or even Rishabh Pant or Suryakumar Yadav, Rahul can't actually pull in a lot of team sponsorship. Hence Rahul might have to go back into auction where he might not be a very sought after name.

It is also understood that LSG's deal with Zaheer Khan has been finalised and he will be unveiled as a mentor soon.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)



source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/kl-rahul-met-lsg-owner-sanjiv-goenka-wants-retention-but-report-makes-big-revelation-6424093

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

156.7 Kmph Sensation Awaits India Debut, Bangladesh Start Life After Shakib

Pace sensation Mayank Yadav is expected to unleash his raw speed while the absence of India's T20 regulars will provide another opportunity to the fringe players in the three-match series against Bangladesh, beginning here Sunday. Having consistently generated speed in excess of 150kmph in his maiden IPL earlier this year, Mayank had drawn the attention of the cricketing world before a side strain ruled him out of the tournament. Usually, one has to prove fitness in domestic cricket to be considered for national selection but the 22-year-old has been fast-tracked into the side considering his special talent. The series against Bangladesh will be a test of his fitness and temperament. It is yet to be figured if he can display the same accuracy and control that he exhibited in the IPL. Besides Mayank, fellow Delhi pacer Harshit Rana and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy could also make their India debut over the course of the series. Nitish was picked for the Zimbabwe tour post the T...

PCB Not Happy With Pak Star Over Social Media Post On Babar Snub: Report

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not pleased that Fakhar Zaman questioned the selection panel's decision to sideline Babar Azam from the Test side. The panel dropped former captain Babar Azam when they announced the squad for the remaining two Tests against England in Multan and Rawalpindi. Zaman took to X to question the decision, inviting the ire of the PCB. "The top board officials are not pleased with the tweet sent out by Fakhar and relevant persons are having a word with him about it," a well-informed PCB source said. "It's concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn't bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. "If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a deeply negative message across the team. There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on sa...

Gardner Shines Again As GG Register Six-Wicket Win Over UPW In WPL 2025

Skipper Ashleigh Gardner starred with both bat and ball, leading Gujarat Giants to a comprehensive six-wicket win over UP Warriorz in their Women's Premier League match in Vadodara on Sunday. Gardner (2/39) claimed two wickets and then scored a stylish 32-ball 52, her second consecutive fifty, as Gujarat registered their first win of the third edition of the tournament, following a loss in the opening game to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Opting to bowl, Gujarat produced a clinical effort with young spinner Priya Mishra returning impressive figures of 4-0-25-3. Skipper Gardner, Deandra Dottin (2/34), and Kashvee Gautam (1/15) also played key roles in restricting UPW to 143 for nine. Chasing 144 to win, the Giants were reduced to 22 for 2 with opener Beth Mooney and Dayalan Hemalata back in the pavilion after UPW introduced spin at both ends. However, Gardner produced an inspired knock, adding 55 runs off 42 balls with Laura Wolvaardt (22) to resurrect the innings. Gardner struck t...