Lucknow Super Giants have been in the news a lot recently, especially since IPL 2024. From witnessing Mayank Yadav dethroning batters to the infamous animated conversation between KL Rahul and Sanjiv Goenka after a loss, LSG has seen a lot of drama. Heading into IPL 2025, LSG made several changes. They invested heavily in Rishabh Pant, making him the most expensive player in IPL history. They tried restructured their bowling attack, demonstrating their strong desire to bounce back in IPL 2025 with a fine set of players. In this process, they released several players, and there are some whom LSG might feel relieved to part ways with. So, who are these players? Let’s take a look at the names of those LSG could feel relieved after releasing ahead of IPL 2025.
KL Rahul
KL Rahul, who came to the camp as a leader and did his job really well in 2022 and even in 2023, led the team to the playoffs both years. However, last year wasn’t entirely successful as the team lost its grip and was eliminated from the playoff race early. Amid all this, several things came under the spotlight, with the infamous animated conversation between LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka and Rahul being one of them. The duo had an animated discussion after LSG lost by 10 wickets against SRH, and that video went viral. Since then, there was an expectation that Rahul might not return to LSG for IPL 2024, and that’s exactly what happened. From LSG’s perspective, the team will look for a new opener and leader, the camp now has the opportunity to reset everything and approach IPL 2025 with a fresh outlook, particularly regarding the top-order batting and captaincy.
Deepak Hooda
The next player LSG has released is Deepak Hooda, and they might feel fine for taking this action. Known for his big-hitting ability, there is no doubt about Hooda’s talent to captivate attention with the bat, which he has done many times. However, looking at his performance in IPL 2024 for LSG, things didn’t go well. He played 11 games and scored just 145 runs, which doesn’t suit a player of his caliber. Releasing Hooda is going to give the LSG an opportunity to consider which new player can take up the spot and smash sixes all over.
Krunal Pandya
Another player who faced significant criticism for his sudden drop in form is Krunal Pandya, who is now set to play for RCB. Looking at his journey with LSG, he was once a key player, and many expected him to perform well. In the initial years, he did, but like KL Rahul, he struggled in the last IPL. His bowling, in particular, became a concern, and his bowling average soared to 42, which is not ideal for a bowler who bowls in the middle overs. This could likely be the reason why LSG released him. They may have felt it was okay to part ways with him, but it’s important to remember there was a time when he was even in the running to be LSG’s captain. Things have changed drastically since then, and now we will see Krunal Pandya playing for RCB in IPL 2025.
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