LSG unlikely to retain KL Rahul in mega auction: Reports

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper KL Rahul, who has been leading the franchise since the 2022 season, is set to enter the upcoming mega auction ahead of the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

According to a report on ESPNCricinfo, Rahul didn’t commit to being retained by LSG if the franchise made an offer to him. Earlier, owner Sanjiv Goenka also remained ambiguous about retaining Rahul during an event in August when Zaheer Khan was appointed as the team mentor. 

The Lucknow-based franchise finished seventh in IPL 2024, where Rahul scored 520 runs at a strike rate of 136.12. Rahul’s strike rate was again a point of conversation last season after other openers scored much quicker.

Rumours about a spat with owner Goenka also emerged after the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) last season, where the LSG owner clearly looked involved in a heated conversation with skipper Rahul. 

Amidst the furore over the incident, which was first shown on TV and then went viral on social media, many news reports emerged about the opening batter reconsidering his future at the franchise. However, Goenka later clarified that there was no rift in the team and Rahul is “family”. 

Teams have until October 31 to finalise their retention list for the upcoming mega auction. They are allowed to retain a maximum of six players for the auction, of which five can be capped players. 

If you’ve not downloaded the Cricket.com app yet, you’re missing out on our content — big time. Download the App here.