Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), a young franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has appointed former India pacer Zaheer Khan as its mentor ahead of the upcoming mega auction. LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka, impressed by Zaheer’s experience as a player, coach, and strategist, hired him in the last two weeks.
“We are very excited to have him on board. We do believe he will do wonders for the future of LSG,” said Goenka at a press conference.
Zaheer, who previously worked with Mumbai Indians, acknowledged LSG’s potential despite its short existence. “The building blocks are in place,” he said. “The consistency you see in reaching the playoffs is something which is so tough in this fierce competition. That is something which gives me a lot of confidence when I’m looking at coming and contributing to this franchise’s success.”
Zaheer emphasized his role in fostering a culture of open communication and decision-making. “I’ll make sure a process which is required for each and every individual to express themselves freely, to bring a lot of victories to the franchise and the decision making which is so crucial. I think those are the aspects which we’ll be closely looking at. I’m looking to build that culture, that mindset at LSG to (help it) go to the next level,” said Zaheer, who will also serve as the bowling coach.
Goenka refrained from providing details about the possible team composition, citing the BCCI’s upcoming announcement of its player retention policy for the mega auction. However, he expressed confidence in LSG captain K.L. Rahul, stating that he is “like family” and will continue to play an important role.
Coach Justin Langer, assistant coach Lance Klusener, and fielding coach Jonty Rhodes will remain with the team.
