Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) might’ve settled for even four retentions, but they’ll take six. After ending seventh last season, they would want to start fresh. Despite concerns over a possible rift between owner Sanjiv Goenka and captain KL Rahul, it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll have any change in leadership. However, they might have let other performers go.
LSG retention list for IPL 2025
Retention No. 1 (Rs 18 crore) – KL Rahul
Retention No. 2 (Rs 14 crore) – Nicholas Pooran
Retention No. 3 (Rs 11 crore) – Mayank Yadav
Retention No. 4 (Rs 4 crore) (uncapped) – Ayush Badoni
Retention No. 5 (Rs 4 crore) (uncapped) – Mohsin Khan
Retention No. 6 (RTM) – Depending upon team permutations and combinations during the mega auction
Purse left (assuming minimum amount is spent) – Rs 69 crores
Top 3 retentions: Rahul, Pooran & Mayank
Retaining KL Rahul should be a no-brainer. Not only is he one of the best batters but also an experienced captain. Only Shreyas Iyer has more caps as a skipper among active players. Not to forget, Rahul took LSG to two consecutive playoffs in 2022 and 2024. Differences between him and LSG’s owner seem to be a thing of the past. “I have been meeting KL Rahul on and off regularly over the last three years. Frankly, I am surprised this meeting is getting a lot of attention. He is integral (part of LSG). He has been here since the inception. For me personally and my son Shashwat, he is like family,” Sanjiv Goenka had said in August.
Nicholas Pooran has the case to be called the best T20 batter in the world. He shows his mettle all over the globe in franchise cricket and is one of the most destructive players. He has captaincy experience and can keep wickets as well. Talk about a utility player. LSG could have saved Rs 7 crore if Mayank Yadav had remained uncapped. But, since that’s no longer the case, he’ll have to LSG’s 3rd retention. An express pacer with control—that’s one rare sight. He’s already shown what he can do in just 73 balls in IPL 2024, and letting him go to the auction table isn’t something LSG would do.
Uncapped: Mohsin Khan & Ayush Badoni
Mayank becoming a capped player would help at least one uncapped player. Mohsin Khan, who otherwise might go to the auction table, would now be retained for Rs 4 crore. A left-arm pacer who can bowl 150 clicks and has good control. He didn’t have the best IPL 2024 season, but he’s spent three years with LSG and shown he can perform at the highest level. They have other pacers like Yash Thakur and Yudhvir Singh who have done well, but Mohsin has a proven track record.
The other would be Ayush Badoni. You don’t often find an Indian finisher, but the 24-year-old has shown he can do the job. KL Rahul and Pooran are present to take control of the game, and then Badoni can explode at the back end. The only other finisher is Deepak Hooda, who has massively underperformed in the last two seasons.
1 RTM, 7 players
Marcus Stoinis, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Quinton de Kock, Krunal Pandya, Yudhvir Singh, Yash Thakur—LSG can use their one remaining RTM card on any of these players. That’ll depend on who they want.
LSG’s Current Squad
KL Rahul (c & wk), Quinton de Kock (wk), Nicholas Pooran (wk), Ayush Badoni, Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Devdutt Padikkal, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Krunal Pandya, Yudhvir Singh, Prerak Mankad, Yash Thakur, Amit Mishra, Shamar Joseph, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Krishnappa Gowtham, Shivam Mavi, Arshin Kulkarni, M. Siddharth, Ashton Turner, Arshad Khan, Matt Henry.
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