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Despite leading LSG into playoffs two out of three seasons as captain, KL Rahul was released by the franchise ahead of IPL auctions.
KL Rahul-led LSG finished seventh last season. (BCCI Photo)
Towards the end of Lucknow Super Giant’s IPL 2024 campaign, they endured a 10-wicket thrashing at the hands of Sunrisers Hyderabad. The defeat was followed by visuals of the then captain KL Rahul involved in an animated discussion with the franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka raising speculations of a rift which they both denied.
Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auctions though, LSG released Rahul, their captain of three seasons and on the day of the announcement, Goenka explained that they wanted players who “put the team before their personal goals and aspirations” and “have a mindset to win”.
Rahul says Goenka’s comment didn’t push him towards leaving the franchise but a desire to start afresh and play where he can find some freedom.
“No, I mean, I think the decision was made already and I don’t know what the comments are, but they must have come after the announcement,” Rahul told Star Sports. “I just felt like I wanted to start fresh, I wanted to explore my options and I wanted to go and play where I could find some freedom and the team atmosphere would be something much more balanced.”
Under Rahul, LSG qualified for playoffs twice in a row before finishing seventh this season. Rahul hinted external factors played their role in the team’s poor show in IPL 2024.
“There’s always ups and downs,” Rahul said. “You need to be able to hold your nerves and be able to keep and you need to be able to keep putting up good performances after good performances. All the travel, all the drama outside, the pressure – all of it is there every year. But somehow this season, it felt like there was a lot more and somehow I think that affected the team and we couldn’t put in performances when it really mattered.”
For Rahul, being a captain isn’t paramount, but he only wants to be part of a team with “good environment”.
“I would never go and ask someone for it. If you feel that my leadership skills are good enough, and you find something good in the way I play my cricket and in the way I handle myself, the way that I handle the team that I’ve captained in the last four to five years, and if you find it worthy, then of course I’m happy to do it,” he said.
“But it’s not something that is a make or break for me. I just want to be part of a team that has a good environment. You feel loved, cared for and respected in that environment and everyone on that franchise has one single goal to win the idea. there then that’s a perfect fit,” he added.
