IPL 2022: Lucknow Super Giants eye long-term success

Lucknow Super Giants have embraced mentor Gautam Gambhir's vision & philosophyIf one looks closely, there is a lot of similarity between Lucknow Super Giants this year and the Kolkata Knight Riders of 2012-16. The common factor is Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir's captaincy had helped KKR soar to dizzy heights, winning two IPL titles before he and the franchise parted ways in 2016. As a mentor at LSG, Gambhir has his trusted aide Vijay Dahiya from KKR as assistant coach by his side and they have rolled out the same template at LSG as they did at KKR half a decade ago.

BCCI/IPL Photo"When Gambhir first spoke to the owners at LSG, he clearly spelt it out that he didn't want to build a team just for maybe a couple of years. He said it was important to pick players who will serve the franchise for over a longer period of time," LSG sources told TOI. People close to Gambhir would tell you that he felt let down when KKR decided to let him go. He believed he was coming into his own as a leader at the time and wanted to leave behind a team which could serve KKR for another five years. In a way, he is channelling his unfulfilled aspirations through his gig at Lucknow now. No superstar cultureThe team that is playing for LSG is a reflection of Gambhir's philosophy. First things first, he made it clear that there would be no superstar culture in the team. An Ayush Badoni will be as valuable as KL Rahul. He decided that every unheralded player will be judged through the same lens.

BCCI/IPL PhotoBacking raw talent"Everyone knows Badoni was struggling to get teams and even the Delhi senior state team was reluctant to have him. Gambhir went to watch him bat at one of his practice sessions. He saw him and told everyone in his team that the