Lucknow Super Giants have confirmed Bharat Arun as their new bowling coach, ending his four-year spell with Kolkata Knight Riders and, truth be told, setting up a fresh chapter for both parties. The appointment covers more than match-day tactics; Arun will handle scouting and the year-round development programme for the franchise’s young quicks.
“It’s an honour to join the Lucknow Super Giants, a franchise that reflects professionalism, ambition, and vision at every level,” he said. “My conversations with Dr. Sanjiv Goenka and the management were incredibly energizing – there is a clear intent to invest in young Indian talent and build a long-term legacy.”
He added: “What excites me most is the vision for long-term development. LSG has invested in a young, talented, and dynamic group of Indian fast bowlers – Akash deep, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav, Mohsin Khan, and Akash Singh – and I see immense potential in each of them. My mission is to help shape them into a cohesive, fearless, and tactically sharp pace unit that can challenge the best batting line-ups in the world.”
LSG intend to pair Arun with Carl Crowe, the spin consultant best known for helping Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy remodel their actions at KKR. A formal note on Crowe is expected soon, but the move underlines the franchise’s desire for a balanced coaching group: pace expertise from Arun, spin nuance from Crowe.
Arun replaces Zaheer Khan, who served as mentor last season when Lucknow finished seventh and slipped out of the play-offs. A reset felt inevitable. Knight Riders, for their part, are also overhauling their staff: head coach Chandrakant Pandit left on Tuesday, and Arun’s exit now completes a clearout after an eighth-place campaign.
The 61-year-old’s CV is robust. He twice oversaw India’s national bowling unit (2014-15 and 2017-21), guiding the side through notable away wins in Australia and England, and previously worked at Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Players speak of his straightforward feedback and data-led planning—cricketing buzzwords, yes, but there is proof in the wickets column.
How will the change play out? On paper, Lucknow’s young pace pool looks exciting; Akash Deep and Mohsin Khan already have IPL miles in their legs, while Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav remain raw yet lively. If Arun can knit that group together, release-point tweaks and all, the Super Giants may well solve a problem that has dogged them: closing out the death overs without leaking boundaries.
For now, it’s a fresh start that feels sensible rather than splashy—just what Lucknow seemed to want.
