Enhancing Lucknow Super Giants With Zaheer Khan as Mentor
NEW DELHI: Former South Africa cricketer and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) fielding coach Jonty Rhodes is optimistic about the impact of Zaheer Khan, recently appointed as the mentor of the franchise. Rhodes believes that Zaheer’s calm demeanor will greatly benefit the team, especially in meetings and player performance enhancement.
The announcement of Zaheer’s new role was made at an event held at the RPSG Group Headquarters in Kolkata. Rhodes shared, “Zaheer Khan will definitely bring the calmness in the team. Having someone like Zak (Zaheer Khan) around will be of great help for the franchise. The team meetings, selections meetings, franchise meetings with owners require a calm head because the tournament dynamics fluctuate based on results. You need that support and consistency.”
Reflecting on the team’s performance goals, Rhodes added, “The team has been around for three years now, and there is pressure to perform. We need to achieve our plans, reach the playoffs, and aim for the final. With Zak and his calmness, I think it will be very important for the franchise. His technique and bowling experience will greatly benefit the team.”
Zaheer Khan steps into the mentor position left vacant after Gautam Gambhir’s departure post IPL 2023. The 45-year-old former pacer joins LSG’s coaching staff, which includes head coach Justin Langer, along with assistant coaches Lance Klusener and Adam Voges.
Notably, the team currently does not have a bowling coach following Morne Morkel’s departure to join the Indian team in a similar role. In the IPL 2024 season, Lucknow Super Giants finished seventh on the points table with seven wins and seven losses.
