NEW DELHI: West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran, Indian stars Mayank Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi and uncapped pair of Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni are likely to be retained by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
With batter KL Rahul, who has captained the side since its inception in 2022, is unlikely to be retained, barring any last-minute change of mind from both parties, LSG will have one right-to-match (RTM) card at the auction, as per ESPNCricinfo.
The exact amount of money for which these five stars have been signed for is not known yet, but based on retention slabs of the IPL, Rs 51 crores will be deducted from LSG’s purse. In case the sum paid exceeds that, then a higher amount will be deducted from Rs 120 crore purse of each franchise that they have been given to build their squads.
It is understood the top retention will be Pooran, followed by Mayank and Bishnoi. In the 2024 IPL, with 499 runs in 14 matches and three fifties, the left-hander was only behind KL (520 runs in 14 matches with four fifties) in run-scoring charts and has dominated T20 cricket this year, with 2,251 runs in 68 matches with a century and 15 fifties at a strike rate of 160.90. He was also the interim captain and wicketkeeper during the first half when KL missed out due to injury.
Pooran is considered as one of the best hitters in the game and the 29-year-old was brought by LSG in the 2023 season for Rs 16 crore.
Mayank picked up two Player of the Match awards in his first IPL, which was an injury-cut affair. He still impressed with seven wickets in four matches, clocking 150 kmph consistently. His performances saw him being handed over a fast bowling contract by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and made his international debut against Bangladesh recently. He was brought by LSG for Rs 20 lakhs in the 2024 season.
Bishnoi was one of three players picked by LSG ahead of IPL 2022 for Rs 4 crores as an uncapped player. After LSG made it to the playoffs that season, in which he took 13 wickets at an average of 13.44, he was given his international debut that year and has been impressive In the last season though, he could pick up 10 wickets in 14 matches at 8.77, as compared to 16 wickets in 2023.
Badoni and Mohsin, two uncapped youngsters were brought for Rs 20 lakh each in 2022 auction and have been crucial to the franchise’s success. Badoni is an aggressive middle-order batter and his best season came in 2023, scoring 238 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 138. He has played some crucial knocks for the franchise in pressure situations. He also recently played for India A in Emerging Team’s Asia Cup.
Mohsin is a tall, 6’3″ left-arm fast bowler from Uttar Pradesh, impressed in his maiden season back in 2022, taking 14 scalps at an economy of below six in just nine matches. After an injury, he was not considered for next season initially after he almost lost his arm, but bounced back by taking 10 wickets in 10 matches during 2023 IPL. (ANI)
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