With 64 IPL matches as captain and 31 wins, will LSG exchange KL Rahul with a contemporary face? If sure, who’re the true contenders to be Lucknow’s captain within the IPL?
KL Rahul, who has been a trusted batter for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL for the last three years. Although the opener did not inspire the same trust as a captain, especially in the IPL 2024. Under his captaincy, the team did not have a good outing, finishing 7th with 7 losses and 7 wins. We also witnessed an animated chat between LSG owner Sanjay Goenka and KL Rahul, clearly showing Goenka’s disappointment with the skipper. Recently, former India spinner and Rahul’s LSG teammate Amit Mishra also commented on Rahul’s captaincy stint, stating that KL Rahul would be sacked as the captain ahead of the IPL 2025 season.
This has created further doubt among cricket viewers about whether KL Rahul will continue as LSG’s captain or if the franchise will appoint a new skipper for the next season. Since this topic is currently being widely discussed, let’s look at three possible candidates who could captain the LSG team.
3 players who may replace KL Rahul as captain
| Players | Role |
| Marcus Stoinis | All Rounder |
| Nicholas Pooran | Batter |
| Krunal Pandya | All Rounder |
Marcus Stoinis
Australian aggressive batter Marcus Stoinis, who plays for LSG in the IPL, is surely one contender who could replace KL Rahul. This all-rounder has been contributing both with the bat and ball for the franchise. And showing his maturity and potential as a candidate to lead the team well.
Looking at his stats in IPL 2024 alone, he has scored 388 runs in 14 games and also clinched 4 wickets with an economy rate of 9. Former Australian cricketer Brett Lee also mentioned during the 2023 IPL that Stoinis is a captain in the making. It will be interesting to see what turnaround we can expect.
Nicholas Pooran
One more overseas player who could turn things around for LSG in IPL 2025 is Nicholas Pooran. Although there are restrictions on IPL teams retaining many foreign players, one name LSG would likely retain is the aggressive batter Nicholas Pooran. With the bat, Pooran is undoubtedly one of the most impressive batters, especially in the T20 format. Pooran has scored 499 runs in just 14 games with a giant strike rate of 178.
Also, he provides a wicket-keeping option and has experience captaining the side during KL Rahul’s injury. With all these attributes, this star player fits perfectly and could be the one to replace KL Rahul permanently.
Krunal Pandya
Hardik Pandya’s brother and LSG all-rounder Krunal Pandya could also throw his hat in the ring. Since LSG’s inception, Krunal has been a valuable player for the franchise. Like Stoinis, he offers an all-round option and is known to contribute in big matches. Having captained LSG and served as KL Rahul’s deputy, he has the experience, making him another real contender for this position.
Editors pick
