LSG owner Goenka calls KL Rahul ‘family’ but refuses to confirm his retention as player and captain for IPL 2025
Rahul met the team owner, Sanjiv Goenka and expressed his wish to remain in the team. A final decision, however, is yet to be taken.
Will the Lucknow Super Giants retain KL Rahul ahead of the IPL mega auctions before the 2025 edition? Even if they do, will he remain their captain? There is no clear answer to that yet. There were strong indications of the opposite, especially because of an ugly feud that Rahul and Goenka had after LSG's meek surrender to Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024 but since then, the duo have had multiple meetings, the latest one being on Monday at the RPSG headquarters in Kolkata.
Rahul met the team owner, Sanjiv Goenka and expressed his wish to remain in the team. A final decision, however, is yet to be taken. Sanjiv Goenka said he was a bit surprised because of the attention his last meeting with Rahul got.
"Look, I've been meeting KL regularly over the last three years. I'm a little surprised this meeting got so much attention. As I've said, we have not taken any call till the retention rules are out," Goenka told reporters while unveiling Zaheer Khan as their team mentor.
The RPSC supremo described Rahul as family but refused to provide certainty about the keeper-batter's future at LSG.
"KL has been an integral and important part of the LSG family since inception. He's played a very important role. He's like family and will be family."
When asked about player retention and captaincy, Goenka said they are yet to arrive at a decision and are waiting for the BCCI to release the rules regarding retention.
"We have all of September, October and November to decide that. Let the policies be out. We have not even thought about the team going forward, whether retention will be three-four-five or six, we have no clue," Goenka said.
"Let us see, there is enough time, so bit by bit. Whatever decisions we take today will impact us for the medium term future, so it has to be very well thought out and considered.
"There is enough time for it so it's too early. Let the BCCI announce the policy first, then there will be discussions."
‘There’s bound to be reset because of mega auction': Goenka
Asked whether they are going to press the "reset mode" under the newly-appointed mentor Zaheer, he said: "You always try and improve and that is a constant endeavour. When you have a mega auction, there is bound to be a reset but you want to retain the core as much as possible you can. Let's see how it goes.
"One doesn't know which way what goes. Certainly, the coach (Justin Langer) continues, Lance Kluesener (assistant coach), Jonty Rhodes (fielding coach) also continue. We are delighted for Morne Morkel and Gautam Gambhir, very pleased they have joined the national team," Goenka said.
Rahul led LSG to play offs in first two seasons but it is still widely believed that Gambhir's strategic acumen had a lot to do with it rather than his leadership, which got thoroughly exposed in third season, when they failed to make the last four.
