Lucknow – Emotions were running high at the Ekana International Stadium on Monday when Lucknow Super Giants co-owner Sanjiv Goenka became the unexpected focus of attention in his team's pivotal IPL 2025 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. A video of Goenka being seen storming out of the balcony of his team soon went viral, drawing a whirlwind of reactions on social media.

The incident took place in the 12th over of LSG's innings, when Pant, who was promoted to No. 3, committed a rash stroke off Eshan Malinga and was caught and bowled for a mere 7. As the frustration grew, cameras captured Goenka visibly enraged, walking out of the balcony, a moment that invited heavy criticism online. While most fans empathized with the owner's frustration, others have termed it poor optics, particularly in the public eye.

Pant’s poor form of 135 runs from 12 matches has been a concern throughout the season, and his latest failure couldn’t have come at a worse time. Despite strong contributions from Mitchell Marsh (65) and Aiden Markram (61), LSG’s innings lost steam in the second half, eventually finishing at 205/7.

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Goenka responds to LSG's playoff elimination as Sunrisers Hyderabad secure dominant victory in Lucknow

Sunrisers Hyderabad, however, made light work of the target. Abhishek Sharma smashed a 20-ball 59 to kickstart the chase, while Heinrich Klaasen (47*) and Kamindu Mendis (32*) finished the job in 18.2 overs, taking SRH to a historic six-wicket win and knocking LSG out of playoff contention. After the game, Goenka transitioned from public frustration to reflective calm. Going social media with a photo of himself with his players, he penned a moving message: "It's been a difficult second half of the season, but there's much to take heart in. The spirit, the effort, and the moments of excellence give us a lot to build on. Two games remain. Let's play with pride and finish strong."

It’s been a challenging second half of the season, but there’s much to take heart in. The spirit, the effort, and the moments of excellence give us a lot to build on. Two games remain. Let’s play with pride and finish strong. #LSGvsSRH pic.twitter.com/gFzyddlnMn

— Dr. Sanjiv Goenka (@DrSanjivGoenka) May 20, 2025

LSG's elimination from the playoffs is a disappointment in what was promising until some time back. Captain Rishabh Pant also referenced the effect of sensational injuries, especially to pacers Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan. "If we had the same bowling [attack], the story would be different… Still, we've got to take pride in the fight we've shown," he said at the post-match presentation.

With only two games left, Lucknow will now try to finish the season with some pride and reboot for next year. As Goenka's rollercoaster night demonstrated, the intensity of the IPL runs much deeper than the field emotions are deep-seated, even in the owners' box.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka and his family greeted Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar following the match against Mumbai Indians (MI). The two teams clashed at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, April 27.

Goenka and members of his family were spotted chatting with Sachin Tendulkar at the stadium. He even hugged Sachin Tendulkar and his family members and were all smiles during his chat with the legend.

Sachin was spotted in MI colors as he has been linked with the franchise as a mentor for several years in the Indian Premier League (IPL).Sachin represented MI in six seasons of the IPL between 2008 and 2013. He appeared in 78 matches and scored 2334 runs at an average of 34.83 and a strike-rate of 119.81 with one century and 13 half-centuries under his belt.

Watch the video here 

A special moment as Dr. Sanjiv Goenka and his family share a wholesome moment with Sachin Tendulkar 💙 pic.twitter.com/7vBz7FdqLF

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) April 28, 2025

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MI register fifth consecutive win in IPL 2025

Meanwhile, MI are looking unstoppable at the moment, posting their fifth win in a row of the season after defeating LSG by 54 runs at the Wankhede Stadium.They scored a humongous total of 215/7 batting first on the strength of half-centuries by Ryan Rickelton and Suryakumar Yadav. Pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult then dominated with the ball, taking four and three wickets, respectively, as they bowled LSG out for a mere 161 runs ultimately.

Mumbai are on a roll as they went on to win their fifth successive match and earned a brilliant turnaround in the current season. Previously, they had lost four out of five of their opening games and were languishing at the lower rung of the table.But now they are among the top teams that can qualify for the playoffs with six victories and 12 points from 10 games. They will attempt to finish in the top two as they have four more games to play. Their next game is against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Thursday, May 1, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.

Even a record-breaking purchase may not be convincing enough for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to succeed in a successful IPL season. LSG boss Sanjiv Goenka was high on confidence when he cashed in a whopping amount of Rs 27 crore for Rishabh Pant.

Social media was buzzing after the IPL 2025 mega auction. LSG, on pen and paper, is still looking solid, but their performance on the field is telling a completely different story— a flop for Rishabh Pant and his team, the Lucknow Super Giants. Since the last season, Sanjiv Goenka has remained as one of the central figures whenever LSG was on the field. In IPL 2024, the one-field moment between Goenka and then their captain, KL Rahul, was captured through lenses, and the LSG owner became a talking point among cricket fans. 

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Pant replaces Rahul of the ongoing season, but LSG's fate is yet to be proven. Cricket fans and critics have speculated about Goenka's possible influence on his team. Amit Mishra has recently disclosed something shocking about Sanjeev.  In a recent conversation, Mishra said, "Perhaps every team has someone who can be influential; it can be a coach, it can be a captain. But from my point of view, the matter is different for Lucknow Super Giants."

See what Mishra said on camera

Former LSG player Amit Mishra shares his views on Lucknow Super Giants' management and owner Sanjiv Goenka. pic.twitter.com/4LkcMxRWgz

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 28, 2025

Amit Mishra expressed his opinion about Sanjeev Goenka

Mishra had played for Super Giants before, during IPL 2024 and IPL 2023. So, he is well aware of the dressing atmosphere of the Lucknow Super Giants. Mishra has claimed that the image of Goenka has been created by the media, is not true. 

In a straightforward response, the Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer said, "Last year I heard that KL Rahul himself set the team. This year, we saw Rishabh Pant and Zaheer Khan exchange words outside the field during the match. Even their coach was also involved in open conversation. Through multiple media reports, we may have created a character of Sanjiv Goenka, which I feel is not true. From my experience I can confirm he never influenced his team or asked anything to be done by force."

Before the Indian Premier League fixture between the Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals, the spotlight was on KL Rahul and Sanjiv Goenka, who had made headlines for the wrong reasons in the previous seasons.

Talking about KL Rahul, it was a special night for him as the DC star was playing against his former side and also scored the winning runs by hitting a six. Meanwhile, KL Rahul also hogged the internet for his post-match antics as he ignored LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka.

But Rahul, in his new home with the Capitals, proved to be the difference as he scored a measured half-century, helped DC get a dominant win over LSG, that too at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. After the game, whilst everyone was shaking hands, a moment between Rahul and the LSG owner was seen on video on social media, which went viral.

Watch video:-

pic.twitter.com/vczTHgfE6t

Kl Rahul just ignored Goenka😭#lsgvsdc

— Sanju Samson(Fanclub) 𝕏 (@arjaksaini7) April 22, 2025

What had happened between Rahul & Goenka?

The feud between KL Rahul and the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) management, headed by owner Sanjiv Goenka, intensified after the team's poor performance in the last IPL season. After their crushing loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad, Goenka was visibly upset and had a heated argument with Rahul, which was recorded and widely shared on social media. The exchange brought out the increasing tension between the two, and it soon became apparent that their relationship had turned sour. The open conflict between the LSG administration and Rahul led to questions regarding the captaincy of the team and its future. Rahul, who had captained LSG, had struggled with erratic performances throughout the season, resulting in mounting pressure from both the media and supporters. Goenka, who was known for his no-nonsense attitude, made it clear that he was disappointed with the team's performances under Rahul's command, particularly during important phases of the tournament.

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During the post-season, Rahul was decided not to be kept for the season of IPL 2025, a decision that surprised people as he was among the top players in the league. This was the end of his connection with LSG. The team instead went in a different direction, with leadership changes and a new vision for the team. But Rahul's career was far from over. His potential and value in the market were something to be reckoned with, and before long, Delhi Capitals stepped in and paid a premium ₹14 crore for him during the IPL 2025 auction. The switch provided Rahul the opportunity to go on with his IPL career but ended an experience with LSG as well.Though the division between Rahul and Goenka was a prominent subject of discourse, it was also a reminder of the strains and intricacies of IPL management. Players and franchises are constantly under scrutiny, and even a minor misstep can result in dramatic changes to team dynamics. As Rahul continues with Delhi Capitals, most will want to know how he will get along with his new team and if the change in surroundings will assist him in regaining his best form.

A powerful one-liner from the mouth of Sanjiv Goenka proved enough for Justin Langer to rethink his career path. Actually, that one line left no room for the former team Australia coach to rethink but to decide. 

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During a conversation with former cricketer Michael Clarke on the Beyond 23 Cricket podcast, Langer disclosed why he changed his mind and resumed his coaching career again. The 54-year coach said with a smile on his face, "So I sit with (Sanjiv) Goenka and have this conversation. He’s a calm and nice person and is a very successful businessman. You know what he says in the end, the last words—'Justin,' I know you had a very successful coaching career. But let’s face it. You can’t classify yourself as a great coach until you win the IP'L."

After a coaching stint with the Baggy Green brigade, Langer decided to take a break from cricket. When he left the Australian team dressing, it was unclear whether or when he would again take a new coaching job. The former cricketer was appointed as Australia's head coach back in 2018. His coaching experience with his national team was not the nicest at the beginning. From a horrifying white-ball tour of England in '18 to winning the T20I World Cup in November 2021, Langer had seen a lot. In the following year, after a long discussion with Cricket Australia board officials, Langer resigned. 

Sanjiv Goenka's words inspired Langer 

For the next 3 years he was almost out of the picture, exploring new avenues outside the cricket ground. Then, one day he meets Lucknow Super Kings (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka. Goenka's 'Justin, I know you had a very successful coaching career. But let’s face it. You can’t classify yourself as a great coach until you win the IPL' inspired the former coach to return where he belonged—a cricket coach. 

Further in the chat with Clarke, Langer added, "I had zero stress from the Goenka family. 

LSG is yet to find the right to claim the IPL trophy under Langer's guidance. Last season was an utter disaster for the team, and this season, in IPL 2025, Super Giants need to find the right route to the playoffs as soon as possible.

IPL 2025: Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka and Mumbai Indians star Rohit Sharma had some moments of conversation on the Ekana Cricket Stadium ground after yesterday's (April 4) match, where LSG defeated Mumbai Indians by a 12-run margin. 

LSG shared a video where we can see Rohit Sharma advised Goenka not to take pressure. Because the Lucknow squad has a 'Lord.' 

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The video shared by LSG highlighted three persons. Rohit and Sanjiv obviously are the two; another one is Shardul Thakur, to whom Sharma addressed as 'Lord. To the Indian cricket fans, Shardul Thakur is famously known as 'Lord Shardul'. 

Sharma tried to ease some pressure over Goenka 

LSG, despite having a INR 27 Rishabh Pant, finds it hard to maintain a flawless performance. As an owner, it is quite natural that Goenka might feel worried about his team. On the other hand, the Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, known for his hilarious comments on and off the camera, tried to dilute the opposing team's owner's tension by saying, "Sir, why worry when you have Lord?"

🤲 pic.twitter.com/n3fC4U3Iqd

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) April 5, 2025

Shardul Thakur is playing a big part for LSG

Shardul Thakur has become a pivotal man for LSG, who, during the IPL 2025 auction, remained unsold, and then he presented one of his best domestic cricket performances in the Ranji Trophy. Later, the all-rounders joined Super Giants in place of an injured Mohsin Khan. So far, Thakur has taken 7 scalps in 4 matches. Against MI, he took the wicket of Ryan Rickelton.

Punjab Kings played good cricket and won two wins in a row in IPL 2025, beating Lucknow Super Giants by eight wickets at Ekana Stadium on Tuesday. This is the fourth time PBKS have started an IPL season with back-to-back victories. The win pushed them to second place in the points table after their earlier win against Gujarat Titans.

After the match, LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka had a long chat with PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer, who played a match-winning knock, and Rishabh Pant, who had another tough day.

This game also saw a contest between two of the league’s most expensive players. LSG bought Rishab Pant for ₹27 crore, just ₹25 lakh more than Iyer, but he couldn’t make an impact. He managed only two runs off five balls, taking his total to just 17 runs from 26 balls in three matches so far.

Lucknow Supergiants ke Owner Sanjiv Goenka Shreyas Iyer se baat kr rahe hai.

Abhi koi faida nahi hai sir aap Rishabh Pant ko le kar bahut khus ho rahe the na 😆

Aaj fir pta nahi Captain ko kya bol rahe hai...!!!!😮‍💨😱😳 pic.twitter.com/o2XIOoFVCm

— Gurlabh Singh (@gurlabhsingh610) April 1, 2025

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Goenka was later seen having a serious conversation with Pant, similar to their chat after Lucknow’s earlier loss to Delhi Capitals. He appeared to be pointing his finger at Pant multiple times during the exchange. With this defeat, LSG has now lost two of their first three matches. They will hope to bounce back when they take on Mumbai Indians at home on Friday.

Speaking after the match, Pant admitted that LSG didn’t put up a big enough total. “We were 20-25 runs short, but that’s part of the game. We’re still figuring out the conditions at our home ground. Losing early wickets made things difficult, but everyone is giving their best. We planned for a slow wicket, and the slower balls were stopping a bit. We have to learn from this and move forward. There are a lot of positives, so I don’t want to say too much,” he said.

Kick off the IPL-2025 season with magnificent excitement. The viewers were privileged to witness a moment of sheer drama during which the owner of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Sanjiv Goenka, was seen in a serious conversation with captain Rishabh Pant and head coach Justin Langer. The conversation, in the ending of the LSG’s unexpected loss to Delhi Capitals (DC) at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, was a crucial one. The photo has since earned considerable attention, as well.

Apude dengulu start pant gadiki owner tho 😭🤣🤣🤣 #DCvLSG pic.twitter.com/6ems9oI2yb

— Prabhas Devotee🔥 (@SainathPB) March 24, 2025

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This live conversation takes place at a crucial time on the heels of Pant’s lackluster performance in the match as LSG failed to defend their total against a resurgent DC side. Now, with Pant leading the side, Goenka’s latest interaction has raised questions about his management style. The LSG owner’s visible frustration after the loss to DC suggests that the pressure is mounting on Pant, who is expected to deliver results following his high-profile transfer. The talk, while not as loud as Goenka’s prior enthusiasm with the then skipper KL Rahul in the IPL 2024 season, sets the tone for the owner’s hopes for the new captain, who was one of the most expensive purchases as he cost the team ₹27 crores at the IPL auction.

This incident indicates the fact that the IPL is a high-pressure environment where the owners of the teams, coaches, and captains are being watched all the time to produce the desired results. In a league where a single run might win, Goenka's involvement is an indication of how the bench can inadvertently become a battlefield in the world’s most aggressive T20 competition. 

Rishabh Pant: A Future IPL Captaincy Great?

cricket fans known about Rishabh Pant and his journey to becoming a top captain in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Sanjiv Goenka, who owns the Lucknow Super Giants, challenged everyone, predicting that Pant's name is going to move to the highest part of the list of the IPL's most successful captains right up there with legends such as Mahi and Rohit.

That's a very loud yell. Goenka didn't only stop there. Mister Goenka doubled down, calling Pant a born leader and even said that Pant might (simply) be the best captain the IPL will ever see. That's a lot of excitement, but Pant doesn't just talk. Mister Pant's already been leading at Delhi Capitals, surging in popularity with how he leads  calm but instinctive, aggressive yet sharp and informed.

Sanjiv Goenka said, "people now say 'Mahi, Rohit' in IPL's most successful captains list. Mark my words, after 10-12 years it'll be 'Mahi, Rohit and Rishabh Pant'".

Sanjiv Goenka said, "I see a born leader in Rishabh Pant. From my point of view, he will probably be the best captain IPL has ever seen".

ALSO READ: LSG Captaincy: Rishabh Pant Takes the charge for IPL 2025

Players who play with him and those who thoroughly understand their cricket are all nodding along, saying Pant's greatness and captiancy skills. And now, with the LSG officially making Pant their captain, it's clearly everything's coming full circle for him. This is his major chance to prove such deep captaincy focus isn't simply empty talk. Mister Pant's faced down tough times, such as that abominable injury that could've ended things for him. But he bounced back, and now he's ready to impress this new team with his eager way of leading. Suddenly, we circle fully back to Goenka's important note the Pant ending up on the IPL's captaincy Mount Rushmore in 10-12 years. If Pant keeps on the path he's on, turning setbacks into comebacks, and leading his team as if he's born to do it, who's to say it won't happen?

Rishabh Pant is trying to be a good team captain because he's positive, makes decisions fast, and can make his team excited and ready. Mister Pant is still learning and getting better, and in the end, you would find that he might be just as legendary as major names such as MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma. Now that another season of IPL is coming up, everyone's looking to see if Pant can really turn all the high hopes people have for him into actual wins. Some people think he might become one of the major stars of IPL captaincy soon. Today, everyone's just watching Pant to see if he'll be one of the great captian in cricket history,among the greats.

IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka has applauded star India batter KL Rahul. Notably, Rahul was associated with LSG from 2022 to 2024 after joining them for Rs 17 crore ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. However, he scored 1410 runs in 38 matches. Under his leadership, LSG finished in the top four of the IPL 2022 points table and secured a place in the playoffs as well.

The star India batter was released by LSG before the IPL 2025 mega auction, which took place in Jeddah on November 24 and 25. Notably, he joined Delhi Capitals for Rs 14 crore and is likely to lead the franchise in the upcoming season of the IPL as well.

"He served as Lucknow captain for three years and performed well as a batter" - Sanjiv Goenka on KL Rahul

During his recent appearance on the TRS show, Sanjiv Goenka was asked about KL Rahul, and in response he also said that Rahul is like his family.

“KL mere liye hamesha se family rahe hai and hamesha family rahenge. He served as Lucknow captain for three years and performed well as a batter. Mere dil se unke liye hamesha dua hi niklegi, no matter what happens. He is a very gentle man. He is so talented. Jitna unka talent hai, vo ubhar ke bahar aaye. I have so much love and respect for him in my heart," Goenka said.

SEE ALSO: 'Good to see him working on the game' - Harbhajan Singh on Virat Kohli

"I’ve never seen a leader like MS Dhoni" - Sanjiv Goenka

Sanjiv Goenka also applauded legendary Indian cricketer MS Dhoni and shared why the veteran wicketkeeper-batter is the greatest captain.

“I’ve never seen a leader like MS Dhoni. It’s crazy how even to this day he keeps reinventing himself. Just look at Pathirana, a baby bowler. Don’t know where MS saw him and now groomed him into a lethal match winner. He knows how to use his players well, and he keeps on thinking. Whenever I interact with him, I always learn something," Goenka said.

“I have an 11-year-old grandson who is crazy about cricket. Dhoni in my home taught him how to play cricket, some 5-6 years ago. He constantly asked him questions, and I told my grandson, ‘Leave him now.’ Dhoni replied, ‘Let it be; I am enjoying this conversation.’ Dhoni went on to have a conversation with him for half an hour. This human quality with a kid where he spent so much time for a kid. It makes you learn how to speak with others, and that is why he is Dhoni. Whenever he plays against Lucknow, the entire stadium is filled with yellow to support him," he concluded.