Former India left-arm fast bowler Zaheer Khan is reportedly in discussions with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for the mentor role ahead of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Zaheer, who has been the Global Head of Cricket Development at Mumbai Indians since September 2022, is a leading candidate to fill the vacancy left by Gautam Gambhir's departure.
Gambhir, who served as LSG's mentor until the end of the IPL 2023 season, joined Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) as head coach. Additionally, LSG has lost Morne Morkel, who is set to become the bowling coach for the Indian men's team. Gambhir’s appointment to the Indian team and Morkel’s move were influenced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), reportedly on Gambhir's recommendation.
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According to Cricbuzz, Zaheer Khan is being considered for the role previously held by Gambhir and could offer his expertise to LSG’s bowlers. He is also expected to act as a key intermediary between the players and the franchise’s management, which is known for its strong passion for the game.
In LSG’s current coaching setup, head coach Justin Langer is supported by Adam Voges, Lance Klusener, Jonty Rhodes, Sridharan Sriram, and Pravin Tambe. There are also discussions about adding another prominent coach to the team, although details remain unclear.
LSG, owned by Sanjiv Goenka and based at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, was purchased for INR 7090 crore in 2022. The team reached the playoffs in the 2022 and 2023 IPL seasons but failed to advance past the eliminator matches. In the 2024 season, LSG finished seventh in the points table, missing out on the playoffs due to a negative Net Run Rate (NRR).
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