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October 8, 2024
Sanjiv Goenka, owner of the Lucknow Super Giants, will hold a press conference on Wednesday to make an important announcement regarding the team. While the specific details of the announcement are not yet clear, there is growing speculation that it could involve star player KL Rahul.
Recent reports indicate that Goenka met with Rahul in Kolkata to discuss his future with the team ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Although there have been rumors about the franchise possibly not retaining Rahul, discussions suggest that the team is interested in keeping him, albeit not as captain. If Rahul decides to leave, teams like Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) may pursue him. The final decision regarding Rahul’s future now rests with him.
Although the Lucknow Super Giants are open to retaining KL Rahul, it seems unlikely that he will continue as the team’s captain. The franchise is reportedly considering other leadership options for the upcoming season. This change could indicate a shift in strategy, allowing Rahul to focus more on his batting without the added pressure of captaincy.
If Rahul chooses to leave the Lucknow Super Giants and enters the IPL 2025 auction, several teams are likely to pursue him. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) may see him as a valuable addition to their batting lineup, while Chennai Super Kings (CSK) could also be interested, given their history of acquiring experienced players.
As the announcement approaches, fans and cricket analysts are eagerly awaiting the developments, especially regarding the potential impact on both KL Rahul and the future of the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL.
Read More: IPL 2025: R Ashwin Speaks on Rohit Sharma’s Future with Mumbai Indians
Last year, a lively conversation between KL Rahul and Sanjiv Goenka went viral after the Lucknow Super Giants suffered a heavy defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad. While many labeled it a “frank discussion” between the owner and the skipper, it raised eyebrows about Rahul’s future with the team.
Currently, even if Rahul is retained by LSG, which seems unlikely, it is expected that he will not be the team’s first retention choice.
Check out: IPL 2025: Former Sri Lankan Player Poised to Succeed Gautam Gambhir as Kolkata Knight Riders’ Mentor
Ravichandran Ashwin has voiced his criticism of the proposed Right to Match (RTM) rule for the IPL 2025 mega auction, calling it unfair to players. He believes players should have a say in RTM decisions and suggests that predetermined contract conditions be established to ensure fairness.
The RTM rule, which allows teams to retain players from the previous season by matching the highest bid from another franchise, was discussed in a closed-door meeting at the BCCI headquarters earlier this month. Although the rule was introduced in 2014, it hasn’t been utilized in IPL auctions since 2018.
As discussions about the retention rule and the RTM continue, Ashwin remains opposed to the current form of the RTM, emphasizing the need for changes to make it more equitable for players.
“If a franchise has released a player because they don’t see him in their top four or five, then what gives them the right to jump in during an auction? You give the option to the player, asking if he wants to be right to match,” Ashwin said on Kris Srikkanth’s YouTube show Cheeky Cheeka.
“There should be a contract binding the two parties, which says he can be RTMed, only if the price is X amount and leave that pre-determined amount to be decided by the player,” he added.
This isn’t the first instance when Ashwin voiced his concern about the RTM rule. Earlier this month, while speaking on his YouTube channel, the veteran spinner claimed that there is no rule that is more unfair than RTM.
“There is no rule more unfair for a player than RTM. Because how has the RTM rule been so far? For example, there is a player called X. He is on a team called, let us say, Sunrisers. His current value is around Rs five-six crores. He has gone into the auction. Now let’s say the Sunrisers want to buy the player back. So, the Sunrisers will bid for the player at a base price of 2 crore,” he said.
“Then, let us say KKR and the Mumbai Indians are bidding for the player. The bid goes up to six crores, and finally, they say, ‘The player is sold to the Mumbai Indians for six crores.’ So, with RTM, the Sunrisers will then bid for and take the player at six crores. The problem here is that Sunrisers are happy. But KKR and MI are unhappy. The only person (party) happy is Sunrisers. Because, in the beginning, they gave attendance bid at base price,” he added.
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