File image of KL Rahul.© BCCI
In another twist to the tale, it is being reported that Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain KL Rahul is himself unsure about whether he would accept a retention offer made by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. So far, it had been reported that KL Rahul was set to be axed from the franchise's auction retention list, courtesy of a joint decision taken by head coach Justin Langer and mentor Zaheer Khan. However, a contradictory report has now emerged.
As per a report by ESPNcricinfo, KL Rahul sat down with LSG's owners in a meeting recently, where Rahul was still undecided on whether he would accept if the franchise chose to retain him. With less than a week to go before the retention lists are announced, the report suggests that a final decision is yet to be taken.
Earlier, a report by The Times of India stated that an analysis done by Langer and Zaheer came to the conclusion that Rahul staying at the crease for longer has hurt LSG's chances of victory. That report stated that, as a result, Rahul isn't going to be retained by LSG.
Rahul's strike rate has been a point of contention for LSG throughout. In fact, he hasn't scored at a strike of over 140 since the 2019 IPL season, and hit as low as 113 in 2023.
If Rahul and LSG decide to mutually part ways, he will be one of the big Indian names hitting the auction pool. Rahul has amassed 4,683 IPL runs over the years, at an average of 45 and a strike rate of 134.
LSG are reportedly set to retain hotshot India pace sensation Mayank Yadav as among their top 3 retentions. Given the form of West Indian batter Nicholas Pooran, he could also be retained. Uncapped players Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan are also options for LSG to be retained.