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LSG Owner Sanjiv Goenka Takes Dig At KL Rahul: 'Wanted Players Who Put Team Over...'

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LSG owner Saniv Goenka & KL Rahul [Source: @Rajiv1841/x.com]LSG owner Saniv Goenka & KL Rahul [Source: @Rajiv1841/x.com]

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Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) dropped a bombshell on IPL retention day as they official parted way ways with their captain and once the face of the franchise, KL Rahul. The three-year-long association is officially over and it’s not hard to figure out the tension that’s been bubbling beneath the surface.

It’s not every day you see a franchise owner as animated as Sanjiv Goenka was after a bad loss, let alone throwing what seems like a carefully curated dig at his former skipper.

Let’s take a little trip down memory lane to IPL 2024, during LSG’s embarrassing ten-wicket drubbing by SunRisers Hyderabad. Cameras didn’t miss a beat as they captured Goenka and Rahul in what looked like a tense chat after the match.

Goenka, all hand gestures and visible frustration, and Rahul, just standing there, silent. To anyone watching, it was pretty clear that LSG’s owner wasn’t exactly thrilled with his captain.

Goenka’s Not-So-Subtle Jab At KL Rahul

Fast forward to the LSG’s retention announcement, and Goenka was at it again. In a video on Star Sports, he laid out the reason for keeping Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Ayush Badoni, Mohsin Khan, and Mayank Yadav.

 And here’s the kicker—while explaining these picks, Goenka didn’t just stop at “they’re great players.” Nope. He went on to say they’re guys who “put the team first before personal goals and aspirations.”

No names dropped, but you’d have to be living under a rock not to feel the shade aimed straight at Rahul.


It is worth mentioning that KL Rahul’s strike rate has been a major topic of discussion. Sure, he put up decent numbers, scoring 520 runs at an average of 37.14 in IPL 2024. But his strike rate? Just 136.13. Not exactly blowing anyone’s hair back, especially when in the fast-paced world of T20 cricket.

Critics have been having field days pointing out how his slower pace may have held the team back at times, and it looks like Goenka and LSG management decided it was time to shake things up.

What’s Next for KL Rahul?

Now, with his name officially on the auction block, everyone’s curious to see where Rahul lands. With over 1,200 runs in his LSG stint, he’s definitely got the numbers to attract a few takers. 

But will another franchise see past the strike rate drama and leadership questions? Or is this just the wake-up call Rahul needs to rethink his game? Either way, his exit from LSG adds a spicy twist to this year’s auction.