Zaheer Khan parts ways with Lucknow Super Giants ahead of IPL 2026: Report

Ex-India pacer Zaheer Khan has reportedly parted ways with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) following their underwhelming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. The World Cup 2011 champion was associated with Lucknow as their mentor in IPL 2025. In August 2024, Super Giants signed Zaheer in the role and he was expected to deliver impactful results to this side. However, following this year’s disheartening performance, Zaheer was expected to resign from his post. Under Rishabh Pant’s captaincy, Super Giants concluded their campaign in the seventh position at the IPL 2025 points table with 12 points earned through six wins and eight losses.

As per ESPNcricinfo report, Zaheer has formally informed LSGabout his decision to leave ahead of the IPL 2026.

Following this development, Lucknow will have to get a mentor and bowling coach as the former India player was serving the team in the dual role. Before Zaheer, South Africa’s legend Morne Morkel was serving Super Giants as bowling coach. In August 2025, Zaheer also met Rohit Sharma amidst the report of him leaving LSG. After a month, he quit Lucknow and eyes will be set on his next step. Before joining Lucknow, Zaheer was also associated with Mumbai Indians as Director of Cricket and Head of Global Development from 2018 to 2022.

LSG’s performances in IPL 2025 were disappointing

In 2025, LSG were expecting their new captain Rishabh Pant to collaborate with the coaching staff and deliver the desired results. However, Pant struggled as batter and skipper which eventually proved fatal for Lucknow. In the entire season, they could win only six matches and recorded their worst performance in their four years of the league.

Pant, who is the most expensive player in IPL history, could score only 269 runs in 14 matches at an average of 24.45. Pant took the captaincy mantle from KL Rahul, who led the team from 2022 to 2024.