Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka came under heavy criticism following one of his team’s early defeats in the IPL 2026 season. In video clips that later went viral on social media, Goenka was seen having an animated chat with LSG captain Rishabh Pant.
Fans recalled an incident from 2024 when Goenka was seen having a stern chat with former skipper KL Rahul after a defeat. However, Goenka downplayed concerns of any rift with Pant, who was snapped up for a record Rs 27.50 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 Mega Auction and went on to replace Rahul as captain.
However, LSG’s fortunes have not gotten better since Pant’s team failed to make the Playoffs last season. With three defeats in five matches, Lucknow stand eighth on the standings thus far this year. Speaking on NDTV, the 65-year-old Goenka said that purported rifts with Pant were only fabricated stories on social media.