Indian veteran spinner Amit Mishra says that the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) franchise will look for a better captain than KL Rahul. Team India’s former cricketer expressed his thoughts on captaincy, saying that a person with a proper mindset and a perfect approach for the shortest format of cricket should be appointed.
In the 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2024, the Lucknow Super Giants led by KL Rahul concluded at the 7th position in the points table, with 14 points in 14 matches. Also, it was the first time that LSG failed to qualify for the playoffs since its inaugural season in 2022.
Under KL Rahul’s captaincy, the LSG qualified for the playoffs in two successive years in 2022 and 2023, but couldn’t reach the finals. However, Rahul has maintained an overall decent captaincy record by leading the team 37 times so far. Out of which, he secured 20 wins and 17 losses.
Earlier, Mishra played under KL Rahul’s captaincy in IPL 2023 and 2024. Furthermore, Amit Mishra revealed the truth regarding the strange conversation between the LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka and KL Rahul, after facing a huge disappointment due to a 10-wicket loss against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the league phases of IPL 2024.
LSG should find a better captain than KL Rahul in IPL 2025: Amit Mishra
In a recent podcast, Amit Mishra during his interaction with the YouTuber Subhankar Mishra, expressed his opinion about the team’s captaincy and believes that KL Rahul doesn’t have the mentality to guide the team in the T20 format:
“No! It doesn’t matter if he is playing for the Indian team or not. But a player should have the correct mentality to become a T20 captain. The captain of the team should be someone who is actually a member of the team and participates actively on-field. I strongly believe that the LSG will continue looking for a more skilled captain,” said Amit Mishra.
LSG Owner Disappointed with KL Rahul’s Captaincy
Finally, Amit Mishra revealed the heated debate that happened between Sanjiv Goenka and KL Rahul, after facing a huge loss against the Pat Cummins-led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 10 wickets in IPL 2024:
“Yeah! He (Sanjiv Goenka) was completely disappointed. We lost two consecutive matches in this season very badly. I think we lost around 90 to 100 runs to KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) and against SRH (Sunrisers Hyderabad), the match was completed within 10 overs, and they won by 10 wickets. It was like we were bowling against them (SRH) during a net practice session.
If I am so depressed about the performance, then why wouldn’t a team’s owner, who has invested a huge sum of money not feel frustrated? Although, it was not a huge issue, later I realized that the bowling performance was very poor and the team should have exhibited some fighting contest. In contrast, the entire team surrendered to the opponent’s team batting. Also, I feel that the public and media have speculated the hype a bit”, Amit Mishra shared some important facts.
Who Will Be LSG New Captain in IPL 2025?
If KL Rahul is removed from the captaincy or leaves the team, there are chances for the West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran or the Indian all-rounder Krunal Pandya to take up the responsibility permanently. This is because both these cricketers have earlier led the team in KL Rahul’s absence.
Also, the Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis is a promising option and could be a perfect candidate to take on the role of vice-captain, if Pooran leads the side. Stoinis could get the required support to lead the side. However, the franchise might prefer Nicholas Pooran, who has a decent track record as a captain in international matches and T20 leagues worldwide.
Moreover, the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma has already given a hint that the IPL 2024 might be his last season for Mumbai Indians after he was dismissed from captaincy ahead of the season. In such scenarios, the LSG might prefer Rohit Sharma, only if he confirms his availability during the next IPL auction.
Unless the LSG could offer more money than other teams, they might have to consider different options. If they couldn’t outbid the other franchises in the auction, they might have to give up by selecting Nicholas Pooran as the captain for the next few seasons.
↻ IPL Retention: Key Updates & Expectations For IPL 2025 Mega Auction
Conclusion:
As the IPL 2025 mega auction is scheduled to take place later this year, there are chances that KL Rahul might be released from the team, which results in the 32-year-old wicketkeeper-batter joining a new franchise.
After a disappointing performance in the 2023 ODI World Cup finals, KL Rahul once again faces severe criticism for his lack of intent to guide his teammates in winning the crucial matches of IPL 2024.
Finally, the cricket world is eager to witness if the LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka gives KL Rahul another opportunity or opts for a transition in captaincy.
