New Delhi: As the deadline for the IPL 2025 retention approaches, reports and rumours surrounding some big names in Indian cricket are dominating headlines. Among them is KL Rahul, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper, who is set to be released by the franchise to the mega-auction pool.
Rahul, who has led the Super Giants for three seasons from 2022 to 2024, is reportedly not on the list of players LSG will retain ahead of November’s mega-auction.
Under Rahul’s leadership, LSG qualified for the playoffs in the 2022 and 2023 seasons but that might not be enough to save his spot neither as a skipper nor as a player in the Super Giants squad.
Some reports also suggest that Rahul was offered the top retention spot at Rs 18 crore. However, the star batter declined LSG’s offer.
Revealed! The reason why KL Rahul is likely to face the axe at LSG
Now a fresh report has emerged that claims that Rahul is set to be released on deadline day and the possible reasons behind his likely ouster.
According to an LSG source, Rahul’s inadaptability and lack of flexibility in the T20 format cost him his retention at Lucknow Super Giants with the franchise, instead choosing explosive batter Nicholas Pooran as per the preferences of head coach Justin Langer and mentor Zaheer Khan.
LSG are set to retain Pooran as their top pick along with tearaway young pacer Mayank Yadav, leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi and Ayush Badoni (uncapped) for the upcoming IPL season
“The only consideration at LSG was performance in the last three years and especially Rahul’s own batting style and strike rate which are important variables while a decision is arrived at,” a source tracking development in LSG told PTI.
The source also opened up on the decision-making of the franchise and said that Langer and Zaheer looked at the strike rate of Rahul in the past three years and decided that the numbers are far from ideal in T20 format.
Rahul’s strike rate in the last three years of 136.13 (616 runs), 113.23 (274 runs) and 135.38 (520 runs) was deemed unacceptable by the franchise.
Meanwhile, Pooran, who bats in the middle-order, had a strike rate of 144.34 in 2022, and a superb 172.95 and 178.21 in the following seasons.
The source said that Rahul’s slow batting in powerplay cost the team several matches in the 2024 edition.
Meanwhile, LSG are set to back Mayank Yadav, the only 150-plus bowler in the country, as part of a long-term plan.
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