Lucknow Super Giants in a bid to replace KL Rahul with this 26-year-old India star for IPL 2025

All the 10 Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises have finalized their list of retained and released players ahead of the 2025 mega auction on October 31. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) made a bold move decided to release their captain, KL Rahul.

While there were speculations about the franchise targeting Rishabh Pant, who was also released by Delhi Capitals (DC), recent reports suggest that the Super Giants have a different player in mind.

Ishan Kishan to replace KL Rahul in LSG?

As per a report by PTI, the Lucknow Super Giants are eyeing Ishan Kishan as a potential replacement for KL Rahul. Kishan was a significant release by the Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. However, Mumbai Indians still have an RTM card remaining and might use it to retain Kishan.

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Meanwhile, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), with a substantial purse of Rs 83 crore, are reportedly interested in acquiring KL Rahul in the IPL 2025 auction. There are even speculations that Rahul could be considered as a potential captaincy option for RCB, despite rumors of Virat Kohli resuming the captaincy role.
Sanjiv Goenka, the owner of the Lucknow Super Giants, justified the team's retention decisions by emphasizing the importance of player mindset. He stated that the retained players prioritize team success over personal ambitions. This statement could be interpreted as an indirect criticism of KL Rahul, who was released by the franchise.