KL Rahul Set To Be Released; LSG To Retain Mayank Yadav Ahead Of IPL 2025: Report
KL Rahul and Mayank Yadav [Source: @MccSports_12/X]
According to emerging reports, Lucknow SuperGiants are all set to part ways with experienced batter KL Rahul ahead of the much-anticipated mega auction. The IPL franchises have been asked to submit the final list of their retained players on or before October 31.
Meanwhile, the SuperGiants have made up their minds to release KL Rahul into the auction pool, as reported by The Times of India.
KL Rahul's Strike Rate: A Massive Concern For LSG
The report claims that despite KL Rahul's consistency as a top-order batter, the LSG think tank is displeased with his scoring rate in the Indian Premier League.
Statistically, Rahul's strike rate has dipped significantly since the 2018 edition of the tournament, with the opener receiving massive backlash for his batting approach in the lucrative league. So, considering his scoring rate has taken a hit, LSG management is set to exclude Rahul from their retention list.
"The LSG management, including mentor Zaheer Khan and coach Justin Langer, has analysed his stats and it has emerged that the team has almost lost all matches where KL has batted long and scored runs. That indicates that his strike rate doesn't match the momentum of the game. With the Impact Player rule, the scores are getting higher. You can't afford to have someone taking so much time at the top of the order," an IPL source was quoted as saying by TOI.
LSG To Retain Pooran, Bishnoi And Mayank Yadav For IPL 2025
The report also states that the franchise is going to retain explosive batter Nicholas Pooran, spinner Ravi Bishnoi and express speedster Mayank Yadav ahead of the mega auction. The SuperGiants will also likely persist with Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan, retaining them as uncapped players.