Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are expected to part ways with mentor Zaheer Khan following the completion of his one-year contract. According to a report in The Times of India, the former India pacer, who also oversaw the team’s bowling department, will step down ahead of the upcoming IPL 2026 season.
Zaheer Khan joined the Lucknow Super Giants ahead of the 2025 IPL season, replacing Gautam Gambhir, who moved to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2024. Zaheer also took on the Lucknow-based team’s bowling coach responsibilities after Morne Morkel left to work with the Indian men’s cricket team.
However, the team endured a disappointing season under Rishabh Pant’s captaincy, finishing seventh with six wins from 14 matches and failing to qualify for the playoffs.
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LSG to Part Ways with Zaheer Khan Ahead of IPL 2026
Lucknow Super Giants are planning to appoint a new mentor following Zaheer Khan’s departure. Sanjiv Goenka, the LSG owner, will appoint a new mentor who will take on broader responsibilities across the RPSG Group’s global cricket franchises.
The new mentor will also oversee the franchise’s sister teams, including Durban’s Super Giants in SA20 and the Manchester Originals in The Hundred, as part of RPSG Group’s broader cricket operations.
“LSG is set to part ways with Zaheer Khan, and the new mentor will be given a bigger role to monitor RPSG Group’s other franchises,” the report cited a source as saying.
Before joining the Super Giants, Zaheer worked with the Mumbai Indians (MI) from 2018 to 2022. He served as Director of Cricket and later headed the franchise’s global development initiatives.
Bharat Arun to Scout and Develop Young Pacers for LSG’s Sister Teams
Lucknow Super Giants have appointed Bharat Arun, the former India and Kolkata Knight Riders bowling coach, to their coaching staff. He will scout and develop young fast bowlers for the team and its sister franchises. LSG expects Arun to deliver success in his expanded responsibilities.
“Arun’s role is also extensive as he will be given an extra responsibility for scouting and working on their young quicks for Durban’s Super Giants and, from next year, with the Manchester Originals as well,” the source in the report added.
LSG’s bowling unit struggled in IPL 2025 due to injuries. These setbacks contributed to the team’s disappointing campaign, which led to parting ways with Zaheer Khan.
My Conversations with Dr. Sanjiv Goenka and the Management… – Bharat Arun
Bharat Arun said that he is committed to developing young Indian talent. He mentioned that Lucknow has pace bowlers, including Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav, Mohsin Khan, and Akash Singh, and aims to mold them into a fearless attack.
“It’s an honour to join the Lucknow Super Giants, a franchise that reflects professionalism, ambition, and vision at every level. My conversations with Dr. Sanjiv Goenka and the management were incredibly energizing—there is a clear intent to invest in young Indian talent and build a long-term legacy,” Arun said.
“What excites me most is the vision for long-term development. LSG has invested in a young, talented, and dynamic group of Indian fast bowlers — Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav, Mohsin Khan, and Akash Singh — and I see immense potential in each of them. My mission is to help shape them into a cohesive, fearless, and tactically sharp pace unit that can challenge the best batting line-ups in the world.”
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