NEW DELHI: IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka on Wednesday called KL Rahul ‘an integral part of the franchise’ despite the ongoing speculations about his future with the team. Goenka remained noncommittal about player retention and the captaincy for the next IPL season.
Goenka’s animated discussion with Rahul after an embarassing defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad had become a key talking point during the last IPL season, raising questions about whether the keeper-batter desired to remain with the franchise.
Rahul recently met with the team owner in Kolkata.
“Look, I’ve been meeting KL regularly over last three years. I’m a little surprised this meeting got so much attention. As I’ve said we have not taken any call till the retention rules are out,” Goenka told reporters while unveiling Zaheer Khan as their team mentor.
“But KL has been an integral and important part of the LSG family since inception. He’s played a very important role. He’s like family and will be family.”
When asked about player retention and the captaincy, Goenka said they are yet to finalize any decision and are waiting for the BCCI to release rules regarding retention.
“We have all of September, October and November to decide that. Let the policies be out. We have not even thought about the team going forward, whether retention will be three-four-five or six, we have no clue,” Goenka said.
“Let us see, there is enough time, so bit by bit. Whatever decisions we take today will impact us for the medium term future, so it has to be very well thought out and considered.
“There is enough time for it so it’s too early. Let the BCCI announce the policy first, then there will be discussions.”
Asked whether they are going to press the ‘reset mode’ under the newly-appointed mentor Zaheer Khan, he said: “You always try and improve and that is a constant endeavour. When you have a mega auction, there is bound to be a reset but you want to retain the core as much as possible you can. Let’s see how it goes.
“One doesn’t know which way what goes. Certainly the coach (Justin Langer) continues, Lance Kluesener (assistant coach), Jonty Rhodes (fielding coach) also continue. We are delighted for Morne Morkel and Gautam Gambhir, very pleased they have joined the national team,” Goenka said.
Rahul led LSG to play offs in first two seasons but it is still widely believed that Gambhir’s strategic acumen had a lot to do with it rather than his leadership, which got thoroughly exposed in third season, when they failed to make the last four.
Goenka’s animated discussion with Rahul after an embarassing defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad had become a key talking point during the last IPL season, raising questions about whether the keeper-batter desired to remain with the franchise.
Rahul recently met with the team owner in Kolkata.
“Look, I’ve been meeting KL regularly over last three years. I’m a little surprised this meeting got so much attention. As I’ve said we have not taken any call till the retention rules are out,” Goenka told reporters while unveiling Zaheer Khan as their team mentor.
“But KL has been an integral and important part of the LSG family since inception. He’s played a very important role. He’s like family and will be family.”
When asked about player retention and the captaincy, Goenka said they are yet to finalize any decision and are waiting for the BCCI to release rules regarding retention.
“We have all of September, October and November to decide that. Let the policies be out. We have not even thought about the team going forward, whether retention will be three-four-five or six, we have no clue,” Goenka said.
“Let us see, there is enough time, so bit by bit. Whatever decisions we take today will impact us for the medium term future, so it has to be very well thought out and considered.
“There is enough time for it so it’s too early. Let the BCCI announce the policy first, then there will be discussions.”
Asked whether they are going to press the ‘reset mode’ under the newly-appointed mentor Zaheer Khan, he said: “You always try and improve and that is a constant endeavour. When you have a mega auction, there is bound to be a reset but you want to retain the core as much as possible you can. Let’s see how it goes.
“One doesn’t know which way what goes. Certainly the coach (Justin Langer) continues, Lance Kluesener (assistant coach), Jonty Rhodes (fielding coach) also continue. We are delighted for Morne Morkel and Gautam Gambhir, very pleased they have joined the national team,” Goenka said.
Rahul led LSG to play offs in first two seasons but it is still widely believed that Gambhir’s strategic acumen had a lot to do with it rather than his leadership, which got thoroughly exposed in third season, when they failed to make the last four.
