LSG to Part Ways with Mentor Zaheer Khan, New Director of Cricket to Be Announced Soon

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will part ways with their mentor, Zaheer Khan, before the 2026 IPL season. Zaheer, a former Indian fast bowler, joined the team before the 2025 season. However, after a tough year where LSG didn’t make the playoffs, both sides have decided to go in different directions. According to a report in the Times of India, this change comes just after Bharat Arun was hired as the new bowling coach. The source also mentioned that the new mentor will have a bigger role, not just with LSG but also with other teams owned by the RPSG Group.

Zaheer Khan joined the Lucknow Super Giants coaching staff after Gautam Gambhir left the team to join the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024. Apart from being the mentor, Zaheer also took on the role of bowling coach, a position that was left vacant when Morne Morkel moved to join Gambhir in the Indian coaching setup.

"LSG is set to part ways with Zaheer Khan and a new mentor will be given a bigger role to monitor RPSG Group's other franchises," a source told TOI. 

Recently, LSG announced Bharat Arun, the former India and KKR bowling coach, as their new bowling coach. The source mentioned that Arun’s role will be more extensive, as he will also be responsible for scouting and working with the young fast bowlers for Durban’s Super Giants. Starting next year, he will take on a similar role with the Manchester Originals as well.

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Lucknow Super Giants Founded: 2021

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), owned by RPSG Group, made their debut in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season.

LSG had a disappointing season, finishing seventh with just six wins from 14 matches. Bharat Arun’s mission is to help improve the team. In a statement, he said that his goal is to help shape LSG into a “cohesive and tactically sharp” unit, working alongside head coach Justin Langer.

"It's an honour to join the Lucknow Super Giants, a franchise that reflects professionalism, ambition, and vision at every level," Arun said in a statement.

"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," he added.

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