IPL Auction 2025: KL Rahul thrown out; Lucknow Super Giants submit their final retention list

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are reportedly set to retain Nicholas Pooran and four Indian youngsters ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) mega auction. KL Rahul, who has captained the team since its inception in 2022, is expected to be left out of the Lucknow Super Giants' retention list.

LSG failed to advance to the playoffs during the IPL 2024 season under the leadership of KL Rahul. They finished in seventh place out of the 10-team table. KL Rahul faced criticism for his captaincy during several matches. He had a heated exchange with franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka after a loss to SRH.

Lucknow Super Giants To Retain Nicholas Pooran, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi ahead of IPL 2025 mega auction

As per a report by ESPNCricinfo, the Lucknow Super Giants will retain Nicholas Pooran, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, and uncapped players Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni for the upcoming IPL season. KL Rahul is unlikely to be part of the list unless there’s a last-minute decision from the franchise owners.

In the IPL 2024 season, KL Rahul was the leading run getter for the Super Giants. The Karnataka-born cricketer amassed 520 runs across 14 innings at an average of 37.14 and a decent strike rate of 136.12. Pooran scored 499 runs at an impressive average of 62.38 and an outstanding strike rate of 178.21.

Nicholas Pooran Set To Be Top Retention For LSG

The report further added that Nicholas Pooran is expected to be the top retention for the Lucknow Super Giants, followed by Mayank Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi. The star West Indies cricketer also served as the interim captain and wicketkeeper during Rahul's absence in the previous season of the IPL.

"The exact amount the five players have been signed up for is not yet known, but based on the retention slabs put in place by IPL, INR 51 crore will be deducted from LSG's purse. In case aggregate sum paid to the five exceeds 51 crore, then the higher number will be deducted from the INR 120 crore purse each franchise has been given to build their squads for IPL 2025," a report by ESPNCricinfo said.

Mayank Yadav Earned Two Player-of-the-Match Awards

Pooran was acquired by LSG for Rs 16 crore ahead of the 2023 season. The southpaw entered the IPL auction in 2017, when he was bought by the Mumbai Indians for Rs 30 lakhs. The next season, he moved to the Punjab Kings for Rs 4.2 crore and was purchased for Rs 10.75 crore by SRH in 2022 auction.

Mayank Yadav earned two Player-of-the-Match awards, but a side strain limited him to four games in the IPL 2024. Mayank was bought for Rs 20 lakhs by LSG. Bishnoi was picked for Rs 4 crore before the 2022 season. Badoni and Mohsin gained attention for following their impressive performance with LSG.

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