'Someone who plays for the team...': No KL Rahul? Mishra feels 'LSG will look for better captain' for IPL 2025

Amit Mishra, who has been part of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) since the franchise's admission in 2022, feels the Sanjiv Goenka-owned side will look for a 'better captain' than KL Rahul for IPL 2025. Since they came into the picture, LSG have been captained by Rahul. Under Rahul, the team reached the playoffs in IPL 2022 and IPL 2023 before ending seventh in IPL 2024. During this year's edition, Lucknow were on course to reach the playoffs, however, fell flat in their last few games by big margins. After their defeat to eventual runners-up SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), in Hyderabad, LSG owner Goenka was seen having a heated discussion with Rahul. The video went viral in no time and many feel Rahul won't be part of Lucknow from the next season. Mishra, in a recent interaction, played down the Goenka-Rahul episode but feels LSG will opt for a 'better captain, who understands the pulse of T20s.

'A person with right mentality for T20s should be captain. Someone who plays for the team should be captain'

Mishra saidduring his interaction with Subhankar Mishra on his YouTube show, "It does not matter if he is in the Indian team or not. But a person who has the right mentality for T20s should be the captain. Someone who plays for the team should be the captain. I am sure LSG will look for a better captain."

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Mishra also reflected on Goenka's chat with Rahul post-LSG's ten-wicket loss to SRH in match 57 in Hyderabad. The former Indian spinner said, "Goenka was disappointed. We lost two back-to-back matches very badly. Against KKR, we lost by some 90-100 runs and against SRH, the match was finished within 10 overs. It felt like we were bowling them during a net practice session. If I am so angry about it, will someone who has actually put money into the team not feel angry?"

He added, "It was not a huge deal. But I later came to know that he said that the bowling was very bad and the team should have shown some fight. It looked like you have completely surrendered. But I feel people and media hyped it up a bit."

The chat between Rahul and Goenka made heads turn during this year's edition, won by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). With a mega auction to be held later this year, Rahul might be released by LSG as the keeper-batter can opt for a new franchise.