LSG mentor Zaheer Khan breaks silence on desire to become team India’s head coach, says ‘it would be honour to…’

Zaheer Khan, Lucknow Super Giants’ mentor, addressed speculation regarding his potential appointment as India’s head cricket coach.

New Delhi: Zaheer Khan, a legendary Indian bowler and key member of the 2011 World Cup winning team, is mentoring the Lucknow Super Giants. His extensive experience benefits both young and veteran players on the IPL team. During the 2011 World Cup, he spearheaded the pace attack, achieving 21 wickets in just nine matches.

In 2011, he was awarded India’s second-highest sporting honor, the Arjuna Award, by the Indian President.

At a recent Kolkata event, a former cricketer was questioned about the prospect of him coaching the Indian national team. He responded humorously by querying the interviewer on how such a position could be attained without submitting an application.

Zaheer asked, “Not by applying?”

When asked a second time, he immediately replied, “It would be an honour to coach Team India.”

Zaheer Khan’s future role as Team India head coach would be advantageous, given his extensive IPL experience, including his past positions as Mumbai Indians’ Director of Cricket, Head of Global Development, and bowling coach (where he significantly contributed to Jasprit Bumrah’s success). His recent mentorship with Lucknow Super Giants further enhances his qualifications.

Zaheer Khan believes the IPL has been a significant source of talented cricketers. “Earlier, due to limited opportunities, talented players would drift away from the game. But now, many more are staying and chasing the dream of playing for an IPL franchise. That dream helps them in their journey to the national team. When you enter the dressing room, you’ll always see uncapped players eager to learn. They are constantly chatting with players like Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant, or any other senior cricketer with international experience. All of this is so important for Indian cricket to keep dominating. Working with such players gives me true fulfilment.”

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are mid-table in the IPL 2025 standings, having won two and lost two matches. The team features a revamped roster and a new captain, Rishabh Pant. Separately, Gautam Gambhir, India’s current coach, has achieved success with the team, most recently winning the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. Rahul Dravid’s coaching tenure concluded following India’s T20 World Cup victory.