Why did Zaheer Khan leave LSG? Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, in an interesting, and at the same time surprising, development at the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), former India pacer Zaheer Khan has left his role of team mentor and parted ways with the franchise he spent only one season with.
According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, Zaheer notified the LSG franchise of his exit on Thursday.
A key member of India’s 2011 World Cup-winning team, Zaheer was roped in by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in August 2024 to replace Gautam Gambhir as the mentor.
The former speedster left his position at Mumbai Indians, where he was from 2018 to 2022, and took up a bigger role at LSG that included heading the scouting, planning, and strategy departments.
In IPL 2025, under new captain Rishabh Pant, LSG won six games out of 14 and finished in the seventh spot in the standings. They had started the tournament impressively, winning five out of eight outings, but managed just a solitary victory in their next six fixtures. They had a poor record at their home ground in Lucknow: two wins in seven matches.
Why did Zaheer Khan leave LSG?
While Zaheer Khan had a growing bond with team captain Rishabh Pant, it is reported that his ideas were not on the same page as head coach Justin Langer and franchise owner Sanjeev Goenka.
As per ESPNcricinfo, Zaheer’s “vision for the franchise did not align” with coach Langer and owner Goenka, who is often seen getting himself more involved in the team off the field than perhaps any other franchise owner. Who could forget Goenka confronting KL Rahul at the ground after a loss against SRH in IPL 2024, after which Rahul departed from the franchise?
Given his vast experience as a player and then in various roles, including as a coach, mentor, and a Director of Cricket Operations at MI, Zaheer Khan is likely to get offers soon from other franchises. Meanwhile, LSG and Goenka will have to scramble again for a new mentor, which would be their third mentor in three seasons.
The IPL 2026 auction will be a mini-auction; the last one was a mega-auction. It is expected to be conducted in December.
Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.
