On Wednesday, Sanjiv Goenka, the owner of the Lucknow Super Giants, announced the appointment of former Indian fast-bowling great Zaheer Khan as the team’s new mentor. The Super Giants narrowly missed a playoff spot in the previous IPL season, ending on a low note amid speculation of a rift between Goenka and captain KL Rahul. A visibly frustrated Goenka during an on-field conversation after a loss fueled rumours of internal discord.
Recent speculation has centred on potential player retentions and the upcoming mega auction, with uncertainty surrounding KL Rahul’s future. Another high-profile name linked with a move is Rohit Sharma, India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain. Sharma, a stalwart for the Mumbai Indians, faced controversy when he was replaced as captain by Hardik Pandya, sparking significant backlash.
Among the rumours was a sensational report claiming that the Lucknow Super Giants had earmarked INR 50 crore to acquire Rohit Sharma. Goenka, asked about the report during an interview with SportsTak, found the suggestion amusing.
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While acknowledging that any team would benefit from having a player of Rohit Sharma’s calibre, Goenka dismissed the idea of allocating such a large sum to one player. He emphasised that the franchise is focused on building a competitive team from the ground up.
“Do you even know if Rohit Sharma is entering the auction? This is all unnecessary. It all depends on whether Mumbai Indians release Rohit Sharma or not. And even if Rohit comes to auction… if you put 50 per cent of your purse on one player, how will you buy other players?” Goenka said.
“Everyone wants the best captain and players. It’s not just about desire. It’s about what resources you have, what’s available, and what you can do with it. Every franchise shares the same aspiration.”
Regarding Rahul, Goenka called him “an integral part of the franchise” amid speculation about the player’s future. However, he remained non-committal about retention and captaincy for the next IPL season.
“I’ve been meeting KL regularly over the last three years. I’m surprised this meeting got so much attention. As I’ve said, we haven’t made any decisions until the retention rules are out,” Goenka told reporters while unveiling Zaheer Khan as their team mentor.
“But KL has been an integral and important part of the LSG family since its inception. He’s played a significant role. He’s like family and will continue to be.”
