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KL Rahul joined LSG for Rs 17 crore ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction and played in a total of 38 matches for the franchise in the last three seasons.
Sanjiv Goenka praises KL Rahul. (Picture Credit: Screengrab, Sportzpics)
Indian Premier League franchise Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka has reserved big praise for star Indian batter KL Rahul. Rahul was associated with LSG from 2022 to 2024. He played three seasons in the IPL for the Lucknow-based franchise after joining them for Rs 17 crore ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction and scored 1410 runs in 38 matches. Under Rahul’s leadership, LSG finished in the top four of the IPL 2022 points table and secured a place in the playoffs.
The 32-year-old right-handed batter was released by LSG ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, which was held in Jeddah on November 24 and 25. The former RCB, SRH, and PBKS batter then joined Delhi Capitals for Rs 14 crore and is expected to lead the franchise in the upcoming season of the world’s richest franchise cricket league.
During his recent appearance on the TRS show, Goenka was asked about Rahul, and in response he said that the right-handed batter is like his family.
“KL mere liye hamesha se family rahe hai and hamesha family rahenge. He served as Lucknow captain for three years and performed well as a batter. Mere dil se unke liye hamesha dua hi niklegi, no matter what happens. He is a very gentle man. He is so talented. Jitna unka talent hai, vo ubhar ke bahar aaye. I have so much love and respect for him in my heart,” Goenka said.
Rahul, who made his IPL debut in 2013 for RCB, has played a total of 132 IPL matches so far for four teams and has 4683 runs to his name. In the 2024 edition of the cash-rich league, the Karnataka-based batter played in all 14 matches for Lucknow Super Giants, and with the help of four half-centuries, scored a total of 520 runs. He finished the season as the leading run scorer for the franchise.
KL, who is one of the few cricketers to serve as India captain in all three formats of the game, is part of the Indian Test team these days, and he played in both the Test matches of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Rahul opened for India in the first two matches and scored 77 runs in the second innings of the series opener played at Optus Stadium in Perth, which India won by 295 runs.
