Zaheer Khan joins LSG as mentor ahead of IPL 2025

Former India pacer Zaheer Khan has been roped in as mentor of the Indian Premier League (IPL) side Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ahead of the 2025 season. Zaheer takes over from Gautam Gambhir, who had left the franchise to become the mentor of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2022 and then went on to become the head coach of the Indian side. It is unclear whether Zaheer will also be the side's bowling coach—a post left vacant after Morne Morkel joined Gambhir with the Indian side.

Zaheer last played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2017, where he played for Mumbai Indians (MI), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Delhi Daredevils (DD). He accumulated 100 appearances in the tournament and finished with 102 scalps. He became MI's first director of cricket and then was also the head of global development—roles that he took up between 2018 and 2022. 

It is understood that LSG is keen on giving Zaheer larger responsibilities, including scouting and player development programs during the off-season.

Zaheer will work at LSG under head coach Justin Langer and his two assistant coaches, Lance Klusener and Adam Voges. KL Rahul-led LSG made it to the playoffs in their first two seasons in 2022 and 2023, but in 2024, they finished a disappointing seventh. 

With the mega auction a couple of months away, there could be plenty of new additions to the franchise, and Zaheer could have a huge say in who comes in.

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