IPL 2025: Sanjiv Goenka's Heated Exchange with Rishabh Pant Recalls KL Rahul Confrontation

Sanjiv Goenka, the owner of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), has drawn notice once more for his animated on-field exchanges with the team captains. After LSG lost to Punjab Kings (PBKS) by eight wickets at the Ekana Stadium, Goenka was observed having a drawn-out and heated discussion with captain Rishabh Pant. Many compared the episode to a similar conversation Goenka had with KL Rahul, the captain at the time.

Right now, it doesn't look good that the Lucknow Super Giants paid Rs 27 crore for Rishabh Pant. In the team's first three games, the wicket-keeper batsman has barely let his bat speak for him. Fans have already labeled the wicket-keeper batsman a "Rs 27 crore flop" on social media, casting doubt on even his captaincy choices. Following LSG's second loss of the season to Punjab Kings, Sanjiv Goenka, the team's owner, had a heated conversation with Rishabh Pant on the field once more.

Sanjiv Goenka and Rishabh Pant's Tense Face-Off:

Sanjiv Goenka and Rishabh Pant after the match. 👀 pic.twitter.com/AzyGSCYPLd

— Vishal. (@SPORTYVISHAL) April 1, 2025

In the meantime, PBKS maintained their winning streak by winning consecutive games to maintain their second-place standing in the standings. However, with 149 runs in two innings, Shreyas Iyer, who was also purchased for a substantial sum of INR 26.75 crore, has so far lived up to his price tag. Goenka has a reputation for questioning the captains of his squad. On the pitch, KL Rahul has previously had to endure Goenka's fury due to the team's losses. Following LSG's season-opening loss against the Delhi Capitals, Pant had to endure a similar encounter.

Goenka gave Iyer a big hug and spoke with him for a while after the loss. Fans' reactions to this meeting were divided, with many making jokes about Goenka maybe trying to lure Iyer to LSG. Cameras captured the moments when Goenka pointed his finger at the struggling captain as the LSG owner addressed Pant.

The LSG owner has already publicly questioned the captain of his squad. Many people think that Rahul's decision to leave the franchise was influenced by a similar altercation he had with him in the past. In the meantime, Pant is already under criticism due to his inability to bat and his dubious captaincy choices. The pressure is mounting on Pant to make a swift turnaround because LSG's bowling attack has also been reduced by injuries to players like Mayank Yadav, Akash Deep, and Shamar Joseph.

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