Zaheer Khan, a legendary Indian bowler, is in talks with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to become their mentor, according to a report by ESPNcricinfo. The franchise is actively seeking to fill the void left by Gautam Gambhir, who recently joined the Kolkata Knight Riders as a mentor.
LSG is keen on adding Zaheer’s extensive experience and knowledge to their coaching staff. The 45-year-old has a strong track record, having previously served as the director of cricket for the Mumbai Indians (MI) from 2018 to 2022. Before that, he held the position of head of global development for the MI team.
Zaheer was initially considered for the role of India’s bowling coach but ultimately did not get the appointment. This led to Morne Morkel, a former South African fast bowler, taking on the bowling coach position for the Indian national team.
LSG aims to leverage Zaheer’s expertise beyond just mentorship, including him in scouting and player development programs during the off-season. The franchise currently has Justin Langer as their head coach, who took over from Andy Flower ahead of IPL 2024.
Last season, LSG missed out on a playoff spot. With Zaheer’s guidance and experience, the franchise hopes to improve their performance and achieve greater success in the upcoming season.
Zaheer Khan is renowned as one of the finest left-arm pacers in cricketing history. He boasts an impressive record, having taken 311 wickets in 92 Test matches and a total of 610 wickets in 309 international games for India. He also had a successful IPL career, playing for teams like Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Delhi Daredevils. Zaheer has taken 102 wickets in over 100 IPL matches, maintaining an economy rate of 7.59.
