KL Rahul is poised to be released by the Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, according to recent reports. Following the IPL Governing Council’s announcement of retention rules, franchises have been strategizing their retention and auction approaches. Speculation surrounding Rahul’s future with the Super Giants has intensified. Particularly due to his performance last season and his absence from India’s T20I squad. It has been reported that LSG management did not express confidence in Rahul prior to the retention deadline.
A report from the Times of India indicates that LSG’s mentor, Zaheer Khan, and coach, Justin Langer, conducted a detailed analysis of Rahul’s performance during the franchise’s losses last season. Their findings revealed a concerning trend: the team’s chances of losing increased significantly when Rahul batted for extended periods, regardless of his run total. An IPL insider stated. “The LSG management found that the team has almost lost all matches where KL has batted long and scored runs. This suggests that his strike rate is misaligned with the game’s momentum. With the Impact Player rule in effect, scores are rising. And having a player take so long at the top of the order is becoming untenable.”
Additionally, the report highlights that fast bowler Mayank Yadav is likely to be retained by LSG. Yadav is expected to be among the top three players kept by the franchise. “Mayank is a valuable discovery for LSG. They invested in him when he was relatively unknown, and he has demonstrated his match-winning potential,” the report added.
Uncapped players Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan are also expected to receive retention from the franchise. Furthermore, LSG is reportedly interested in acquiring Rishabh Pant for the captaincy role, should the Delhi Capitals choose to release him.
