Sanjiv clarified the rumors related to Rohit Sharma
Sanjiv Goenka reacts to reports that LSG has reserved Rs 50 crore to acquire Rohit Sharma’s services. On Wednesday, Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka announced the appointment of former India pacer Zaheer Khan as the team’s new mentor.
The Super Giants missed out on a playoff berth last IPL season, with their campaign ending on a sour note amid reports of a rift between Goenka and captain KL Rahul. An on-field interaction between the two, in which Sanjiv Goenka appeared visibly disappointed after the loss, fuelled rumours of an internal strife.
Speculation rife about mega auction
Speculation has been rife about potential retentions and the upcoming mega auction in recent weeks, and while KL Rahul’s future with the franchise remains uncertain, another high-profile name linked with the move is India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma. The Mumbai Indians veteran had a tumultuous few months leading up to the IPL when Mumbai Indians controversially replaced Hardik Pandya as captain. The decision sparked a lot of reaction both on social media and in the stadium.
These rumours also included a sensational report claiming that Lucknow Super Giants have set aside Rs 50 crore to buy Rohit. The rumour made a lot of headlines, especially due to its perceived absurdity. When Goenka was asked about this during an interview with Sports Tak, he could not help but laugh at the suggestion.
Goenka admitted that having a captain of Rohit Sharma’s calibre would benefit any team, but he clarified that it is unrealistic to reserve such a huge amount for a single player, especially when the franchise is focused on building a competitive team right from the start.
Do you even know if Rohit Sharma will be attending the auction or not? All this is unnecessary. It all depends on whether Mumbai Indians release Rohit Sharma or not. And even if Rohit comes into the auction, if you put 50 per cent of your purse on one player, how will you buy another player? Goenka said.
Everyone wants the best captain and the best players. It is not about desire. It all depends on what you have, what is available and what you can do with it. Every franchise will have the same desire. He reiterated LSG’s commitment to building a balanced and competitive team rather than focusing on high-profile signings. The statement was aimed at quelling the ongoing rumors and ensuring that the franchise’s objectives remain clear.
Goenka on Rahul
The LSG owner also spoke about his equation with Rahul, calling him an integral part of the franchise amid speculations about the player’s future in the team. However, Goenka could not say anything about retaining the player for the next IPL season and captaincy.
See, I have been meeting KL regularly for the last three years. I am surprised that this meeting got so much attention. As I have said till the retention rules come in, we have not taken any decision, Goenka told reporters while introducing Zaheer Khan as the team mentor.
Important part
But KL has been an integral and important part of the LSG family from the beginning. He has played a very important role. He is like family and will remain family. Everybody wants the best captain and players. But it is like wishes are horses. It is not about wanting. It is about what you have, what is available and what you can do with that. I may wish we had this and that, but every franchise would want the same.
LSG confirms Zaheer Khan’s appointment
Meanwhile, LSG on Wednesday (August 28) confirmed the appointment of Zaheer Khan as the franchise’s mentor. The role was previously held by Gautam Gambhir in the 2022 and 2023 seasons and fell vacant in 2024 when Gambhir joined Kolkata Knight Riders. Zaheer will join head coach Justin Langer’s support staff. Goenka also confirmed that assistant coach Lance Klusener and fielding coach Jonty Rhodes will continue in their roles.
Conclusion
Rohit Sharma remains a topic of discussion around the 2025 IPL mega auction while the Indian ODI and Test captain’s future at Mumbai Indians (MI) remains uncertain after he was removed from captaincy ahead of the 2024 season and Hardik Pandya was appointed to the top job.
There has been speculation that MI will not retain Rohit and the 2024 T20 World Cup-winning captain will enter the mega auction; one rumour states that Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are keen to buy him and are saving a whopping Rs 50 crore.
LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka addressed the rumours and questioned if anyone knows whether Rohit is entering the auction or not before making such plans. Goenka further said that it is not possible for any team to spend such a huge amount on a single player.
