LSG contract renewal has Zaheer Khan sweating as he feels the heat over his future in the franchise as the mentor.
Zaheer faces the heat over LSG contract renewal.
Only one day has passed since the conclusion of IPL Season 18, yet the off-season rumours have already started to circulate. Ahead of the upcoming season, a number of teams are anticipated to make adjustments to their coaching staff and player rosters; the Lucknow Super Giants team may undergo the biggest reorganisation.
It is unlikely that the team administration was impressed by a seventh-place result with only six victories from 14 games. The future of some important members of the coaching staff of the Lucknow Super Giants, who are presently being coached by Zaheer Khan, is now being questioned.
Even Zaheer, 46, is feeling the heat. It has been revealed that Zaheer was only given a one-year contract when he was hired as a mentor prior to the start of last year’s auction. That contract needs to be renewed, and if it is, it will be unexpected, according to sources.
Zaheer was hired to work with Justin Langer, the head coach, whose contract is also subject to renewal. There seems to be discontent among the team and management, even if it’s unclear how successfully the two worked together throughout the season. At this point, the rumour is that Zaheer is receiving more attention than Langer.
Sanjiv Goenka, the owner of the LSG franchise, is well-known for his enthusiasm for cricket and the IPL, and the team has failed to qualify for the playoffs for the past two seasons. The management is dissatisfied with the team’s performance this season, even though Zaheer cannot be held accountable for the 2024 campaign.
Although captain Rishabh Pant was a huge letdown at bat, Zaheer reportedly had a good working relationship with him. Pant failed to contribute significantly in the final 12 games despite scoring 269 runs in 14 games, including a century and a half-century.
Although the captain’s lacklustre performance cannot be attributed to the team mentor, Zaheer was instrumental in forming the squad’s strategy and vision. This season, he and Pant had discussed playing a bold style of cricket. However, it is evident that the intended method did not provide the desired outcomes.