Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka had previously faced backlash after a video of him criticizing KL Rahul went viral following the team’s loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad during IPL 2024. Amid the uproar from fans, Goenka extended an invitation to Rahul for a dinner in an attempt to reconcile. 

However, as the IPL 2025 mega auction nears, LSG decided to release Rahul from the team, a move that has sparked discussion among fans and critics alike.

Rahul, who had remained silent on the matter, recently addressed his departure. In a statement on Star Sports, he revealed that the decision was his own, motivated by a desire for a “fresh start” and the freedom to play in a lighter team environment. 

“I wanted to start fresh, I wanted to explore my options and I wanted to go and play where I could find some freedom, where the team atmosphere could be something lighter. Sometimes you need to move away and find something good for yourself,” Rahul said on Star Sports. 

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LSG Releases KL Rahul Ahead of IPL 2025 Auction; Sanjiv Goenka Faces Backlash

While LSG released KL Rahul, they retained five players, including star wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran, who commands the highest salary at INR 21 crore. LSG also retained spinner Ravi Bishnoi, pacer Mayank Yadav, and uncapped talents Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni. Goenka detailed that the retention process involved the franchise’s head coach Justin Langer, bowling coach Zaheer Khan, and the team analyst, with the first retention decision—Pooran—finalized within minutes.

“Our first retention, Nicholas Pooran, was an automatic choice. With Langer, Zaheer, and our analyst, we retained two capped players and two uncapped,” Goenka stated in a video, confirming that LSG invested INR 51 crore in retaining their core players for the upcoming season.

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