Gautam Gambhir is one of the most popular cricketers of the country and it won’t be wrong to say that the owners and fans of the IPL team – Kolkata Knight Riders hold him in high regard as they have won two IPL titles under his captaincy and one under his mentorship.
However it is not just KKR but the same thing can be said for Lucknow Super Giants as well. As the mentor of LSG during its first two seasons in the IPL, Gambhir played a pivotal role in building the team from the ground up. LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka recently highlighted how the former India opener was instrumental in shaping the franchise from scratch.
LSG was one of the two new teams—alongside Gujarat Titans—that joined the IPL ahead of the 2022 season. Unlike the eight original franchises, they lacked a solid foundation. While the new teams were given three draft picks to help level the playing field, LSG did not have an analyst, a research team, or a scouting setup before the player auctions. According to Goenka, it was Gambhir who established all of these essential elements.
During an interview, Sanjiv Goenka stated, “Gautam has played a significant role in building the side’s foundation. If you consider our first auction successful, it is only because of Gautam. We got the franchise barely two weeks before the auctions. We did not have an analyst or a research team. It was all Gautam Gambhir’s team. He did everything and put together a very balanced team. Everyone has specific roles and Gautam played his part exceptionally well.”
During Gambhir’s two seasons with the franchise, LSG reached the playoffs with relative ease. However, after Gambhir moved to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) before the IPL 2024 season, LSG’s fortunes took a downturn. The franchise finished seventh in the points table, and reports of a feud between captain KL Rahul and owner Sanjiv Goenka became a major topic of discussion. Speculation even surfaced about LSG possibly not retaining Rahul ahead of the mega auctions for the next IPL season.
While there is no official word on Rahul’s retention, Goenka has referred to him as “family” and an integral part of LSG. However, he has remained non-committal about the team’s plans for the next season.
What do you think, will KL Rahul get retained?
