Zaheer Khan, the former Indian fast bowler, is poised to join the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) franchise as their mentor, succeeding Gautam Gambhir, who departed after the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Gambhir has since assumed the role of mentor at Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2024 and has recently been appointed head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team.
Zaheer’s potential appointment as LSG’s mentor raises questions about whether he will also assume the role of bowling coach, a position vacated by Morne Morkel, who joined Gambhir’s coaching staff with the Indian team. From 2018 to 2022, Zaheer held various positions with the Mumbai Indians (MI) franchise, including director of cricket and head of global development.
Prior to his administrative roles, Zaheer enjoyed a successful playing career in the IPL, representing three different teams: MI, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Delhi Daredevils. Over ten seasons, he amassed 102 wickets in 100 matches, maintaining an impressive economy rate of 7.58. His last IPL appearance came in 2017 while leading the Daredevils, before he retired from all forms of cricket.
As reported by ESPNcricinfo, LSG intends to grant Zaheer a broader role beyond mentorship, involving him in scouting and player development programs during the off-season. The franchise’s coaching setup is currently led by Justin Langer, who replaced Andy Flower as head coach ahead of IPL 2024. Lance Klusener and Adam Voges serve as his assistants.
After securing playoff berths in their first two seasons, LSG narrowly missed out on a top-four finish in 2024 due to net run rate. Zaheer’s potential return to the IPL coincides with teams preparing for a mega auction, with the IPL expected to announce retention rules by early September.
