Lucknow Super Giants set to part ways with Zaheer Khan ahead of IPL 2026

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Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are poised for a significant change in their coaching and mentorship setup as they prepare for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. The franchise is set to part ways with their current mentor Zaheer Khan, who joined the team before the 2025 season. This move comes after a disappointing IPL 2025 campaign and is part of a broader strategy to revamp the leadership structure within the RPSG Group’s cricketing ventures.

Zaheer Khan took over mentoring duties at LSG following the departure of Gautam Gambhir after IPL 2023. In addition to mentoring, Zaheer also assumed bowling coach responsibilities after Morne Morkel left to join the Indian coaching staff. The former India pacer brought considerable experience, having previously worked with Mumbai Indians (MI) franchise in various senior roles from 2018 to 2022.

However, despite flashes of brilliance under captain Rishabh Pant, LSG’s performance in IPL 2025 was underwhelming, finishing 7th on the points table with 6 wins out of 14 matches. Injuries to key pacers and inconsistency in bowling were among the issues that prevented LSG from making the playoffs. This poor performance triggered a rethink in the team’s development and coaching strategy, culminating in the decision to move on from Zaheer Khan ahead of the next season.

LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka, who is currently in the UK attending The Hundred tournament, is expected to announce a new Director of Cricket. This individual will have a wider mandate, overseeing not only LSG but also other franchises under the RPSG Group umbrella, including Durban’s Super Giants in South Africa’s SA20 and the Manchester Originals in The Hundred.

“LSG is set to part ways with Zaheer Khan and the new mentor will be given a bigger role to monitor RPSG Group’s other franchises,” reported TOI.

The new mentor, slated to replace Zaheer Khan, will be entrusted with a larger portfolio that encompasses year-round oversight, talent scouting, and player development across the multiple teams owned by RPSG. This marks a strategic shift towards integrated franchise management aimed at building a sustainable cricketing legacy.

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A key part of this transition is the recent appointment of Bharat Arun as the new bowling coach for LSG. Arun, a former Indian national team bowling coach, is also tasked with scouting and nurturing young fast-bowling talent not just for LSG but also for the Durban Super Giants and Manchester Originals.

“It’s an honour to join the Lucknow Super Giants, a franchise that reflects professionalism, ambition, and vision at every level,” Arun said in an official statement. “My conversations with Dr. Sanjiv Goenka and the management were incredibly energizing – there is a clear intent to invest in young Indian talent and build a long-term legacy. “What excites me most is the vision for long-term development. LSG has invested in a young, talented, and dynamic group of Indian fast bowlers – Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav, Mohsin Khan, and Akash Singh – and I see immense potential in each of them. My mission is to help shape them into a cohesive, fearless, and tactically sharp pace unit that can challenge the best batting line-ups in the world.”

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