IPL Auction 2025: LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka accuses KL Rahul of prioritizing personal goals over team needs

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have confirmed that they are parting ways with KL Rahul while confirming their retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. KL Rahul led the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for the three IPL seasons since its debut, but now the franchise has made it clear that they are embracing a new direction ahead of the next cycle.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have retained West Indies’ hard-hitting batter Nicholas Pooran, Indian pacer Mayank Yadav, Indian spinner Ravi Bishnoi, and the uncapped stars Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka takes a brutal dig at KL Rahul

The franchise hinted at a fresh and dynamic core that Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will be building around for the next season. Following the announcement, the team owner Sanjiv Goenka took a brutal dig at their former captain KL Rahul, although he has not mentioned the wicketkeeper.

Read Also: IPL Auction 2025: KL Rahul can join CSK for INR 25-30 crore, bluntly claims Aakash Chopra

The decision to move on from KL Rahul comes amid growing speculation about his future with the franchise, which may be the result of the infamous post-match conversation with LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka after a crushing defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2024.

After LSG’s crushing defeat against SRH, TV cameras captured Goenka in an intense discussion with Rahul, and at that time many had already predicted that the Indian wicketkeeper-batter would not be part of the Lucknow-based franchise in the future, and that became true.

Say hello to your starting five, Lucknow 👋 pic.twitter.com/ZWdfjOJxR4

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) October 31, 2024

LSG parts ways with KL Rahul, sets sights on new IPL 2025 core

Meanwhile, Goenka backed LSG’s new approach while subtly emphasizing the franchise’s commitment to players who prioritize team success over personal achievements, taking an indirect dig at Rahul, who is now set to go under the hammer.

Sanjiv Goenka was quoted as saying by Star Sports: “It was a simple mindset to go in with players who have a mindset to win, who put the team first before their personal goals and personal aspirations, and we wanted to retain as much of the core we could.”

They are now set to establish a squad that shows collective drive and ambition, with Nicholas Pooran emerging as a key asset in their vision. In fact, Goenka said that selecting Pooran as a retention was an easy call, reaffirming the franchise’s belief in the wicketkeeper-batsman’s prowess and leadership qualities.

Read Also: IPL Retention 2025: Full List Of Players Retained By All IPL Teams

Our first retention was an automatic choice: Sanjiv Goenka on Nicholas Pooran

The decision to retain rising stars Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan highlighted that the IPL team wants to foster emerging talent with a competitive edge for the upcoming IPL 2025.

Goenka further noted, “Our first retention, which was an automatic choice, happened within like less than two minutes. We have two uncapped retentions, that is, Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni. It was a process that Zaheer Khan, Justin Langer, and the analyst were involved in. We have gone with three bowlers from previous seasons, all Indians. Pooran was a no-brainer for everyone. Ayush has done well for us at No. 6 or No. 7.”

"Keeping it simple was the key."

With @LucknowIPL announcing their retentions for #IPL2025, #LSG owner #SanjivGoenka shares insights into the thinking behind their picks

LIVE NOW 👉 #IPLRetentionsOnStar! | #IPLRetentions #TATAIPL2025 #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/o4rQZfbE7k

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) October 31, 2024

Notably, Rahul played 38 matches for LSG in the IPL and amassed more than 1,200 runs. In the last season, the right-handed batter played 14 matches and scored 520 runs with a steady average of 37.14, but his strike rate was 136.13.