Pathetic behaviour from LSG boss Sanjeev Goenka with KL Rahul

KL Rahul, Sanjiv Goenka, KL Rahul Sanjiv Goenka, IPL 2024, LSG, SRH

May 9, 2024

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Pathetic behaviour from LSG boss Sanjeev Goenka, Lashes out at KL Rahul after defeat against SRH

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) camp witnessed a scene straight out of a dramatic movie after their humiliating 10-wicket loss to the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Wednesday. What should have been a moment for introspection and team regrouping turned into a public display of discontent, with team owner Sanjiv Goenka lashing out at captain KL Rahul right by the team dugout.

The match itself was a forgettable one for LSG. Batting first, they could only manage a below-par total of 165 for 4, thanks to fifties from Nicholas Pooran and Ayush Badoni. Chasing this modest target, the SRH openers, Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, went berserk, taking the bowling attack to the cleaners and reaching the target in a mere 9.4 overs. Head and Sharma smashed unbeaten knocks of 89 and 75 respectively, with 14 sixes and 16 fours raining down on the LSG bowlers.

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KL Rahul, who had a forgettable outing with the bat himself, scoring only 29 runs from 33 balls, seemed to be at the receiving end of owner Sanjiv Goenka’s frustration. Cameras captured Goenka engaged in a seemingly heated discussion with Rahul near the dugout, with Rahul maintaining his composure throughout.

Lol….KL👀👀

Not cool scenes..#SRHvsLSG pic.twitter.com/lf38UGc7yi

— 𝕭aba𝗬aga (@c0ver_drive) May 8, 2024

This public display of anger from the owner has raised eyebrows and sparked discussions about team culture and leadership dynamics within LSG. The commentators on air even felt the exchange should have been a private matter, stating, “You always feel these conversations should always be behind closed doors. There are so many cameras that miss nothing, and KL Rahul is not going to go at press conferences and various other things and probably potentially explain what is being discussed there. He has done well here to keep his cool.”

Before KL Rahul, Sanjiv Goenka misbehaved with MS Dhoni

The legendary cricketer MS Dhoni was also sacked as the captain of Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) in 2017 by Sanjiv Goenka on account of non-performance. In 2016, RPS finished second last, and at the start of the 2017 IPL season, Steve Smith was made the captain. Back then, many media houses and publications reported that Sanjiv Goenka wanted someone young and fit as the leader of the team.

The situation between MS Dhoni and Sanjiv Goenka goes worse that even Sakshi Dhoni had to jump to defend her husband on X. Sakshi wrote, “When a bird is alive, it eats ants. When the bird is dead, ants eat the bird. Time and circumstances can change at any time. Don’t devalue or hurt anyone in life. You may be powerful today, but remember, time is more powerful than you. One tree makes a million match sticks but only one match is needed to burn a million trees. So be good and do good.”

The defeat has pushed LSG down to number six on the points table, making their playoff qualification chances more challenging. While emotions run high after a crushing defeat, some argue that a public dressing down of the captain undermines his authority and creates a negative atmosphere within the team.

The upcoming matches are crucial for LSG’s playoff hopes. Whether they can bounce back from this double blow – a crushing defeat and a public display of discontent – remains to be seen. What is certain is that Sanjiv Goenka’s outburst has added another layer of complexity to the team’s already challenging situation.