The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have officially confirmed the appointment of former Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan as their new mentor. The announcement was made through their official 'X' account, generating excitement among fans for the upcoming IPL 2025 season, where the expertise of the 2011 World Cup winner will be invaluable.
The post from LSG sparked considerable discussion as it highlights Zaheer Khan's significant impact on Indian cricket. Renowned for his performances in the 2011 ODI World Cup, which saw India end a 28-year title drought in the tournament, he is one of the sport's legendary bowlers.
LSG’s announcement featured images of four renowned left-handed batsmen—Andrew Strauss, Matthew Hayden, Kumar Sangakkara, and Graeme Smith—who have all experienced difficulties against Zaheer Khan in previous encounters, a scenario cricket enthusiast refers to as a 'bunny.'
With a rich IPL history, Zaheer has played for teams such as Royal Challengers Bangalore (now Bengaluru), Mumbai Indians, and Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) over his nine-year career. After retiring from IPL following the 2017 season, he took on the role of director of cricket for Mumbai Indians, later advancing to head of global development until 2022.
Throughout his IPL career, which spanned 100 matches, Zaheer claimed 102 wickets with an average of 27.27 and an economy rate of 7.59. During his time at Mumbai Indians, the franchise secured two consecutive IPL titles in 2019 and 2020.
Zaheer Khan takes over the mentor position from Gautam Gambhir, who departed to join Kolkata Knight Riders prior to the 2024 season, where he achieved his first IPL championship as a mentor.