"Put the team before personal goals.." LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka indirectly targets KL Rahul

KL Rahul captained LSG in the last three seasons but now has been released ahead of IPL 2025 mega auction.

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka has taken a tacitly critical dig at KL Rahul while explaining the factors the franchise noted when finalising their retentions ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction.

LSG have retained Nicholas Pooran for INR 21 crore, Ravi Bishnoi (INR 11 crore), Mayank Yadav (INR 11 crore), Mohsin Khan (INR 4 crore) and Ayush Badoni (INR 11 crore). The major talking point, though, is that they have let go of Rahul, their captain in all three seasons of the franchise’s existence since IPL 2022.

Why LSG didn’t retain KL Rahul?

Indirectly targeting KL Rahul, Goenka said the franchise wanted to retain the players who have the “mindset to win” and who can “put the team before their personal goals”.

Rahul has come under heavy criticism in recent years in the IPL for his lower-than-standard strike rate for an opener. In his three seasons at LSG, although he scored 1410 runs, his strike rate of 130 was sub-standard, especially considering that the last two seasons have been high-scoring ones.

Speaking at the time of announcing the retentions, Goenka said, “We had a very simple mindset to go in with players who have a mindset to win, who put the team before their personal goals and aspirations.

“And we wanted to retain as much core as possible within our available purse. We had a strong bowling unit, that’s why we went with three bowlers [Bishnoi, Mayank and Mohsin] from the previous season and all Indians. Pooran was a no-brainer. Ayush has done well for us at No. 6 and No. 7.”

Pooran, who has led West Indies in the past, is likely to be named the new skipper of the franchise, while Rahul will be up for grabs in the mega auction.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.