Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have parted ties with team mentor Zaheer Khan following only one season, ahead of the IPL 2026. The decision was confirmed on Thursday, marking the end of a brief spell for the former Indian pacer, who joined the organisation in August 2024.
After making the playoffs in its first seasons in 2022 and 2023, the LSG has failed to qualify in the last two editions. Under new captain Rishabh Pant, LSG won only six of 14 IPL 2025 matches, finishing ninth on the points table. Despite a strong start with five wins in their first eight games, the franchise lost momentum in the second half, winning only once in their last six games.
Zaheer Khan approach to strategy, planning did not align with head coach and franchise owner
The primary reason behind Zaheer’s exit, according to reports, was due to a clash of visions. His approach to strategy and planning did not align with head coach Justin Langer and franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka. While Zaheer had a strong relationship with captain Rishabh Pant, he was said to be frustrated with what he perceived as cluttered thinking within the management and support staff.
The former pacer’s tenure began with him taking charge of scouting, planning, and overall strategy after replacing Gautam Gambhir, who left LSG in 2023 to rejoin Kolkata Knight Riders and has since become India’s head coach. With his experience at the Mumbai Indians between 2018 and 2022, where he played a crucial role in building strong squads, LSG expected Zaheer to provide stability and direction.
One of his important contributions was changing the batting order around Pant and overseas stars like Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, and Nicholas Pooran. Zaheer advocated for Marsh and Markram to open, allowing Pant to play a freer role while reducing the burden on Pooran. The move proved effective, with Marsh coming out as the fifth-highest run-scorer of IPL 2025 and Pooran enjoying one of his best seasons. However, LSG’s overall campaign fell short of expectations, particularly at their home ground in Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, where they managed only two wins out of eight.
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