Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka was seen in an intense conversation with captain Rishabh Pant, together with members of the coaching staff reminiscent of Justin Langer, Kane Williamson, and Tom Moody at Ekana Stadium on Wednesday, April 1. The gathering took place after LSG suffered a six-wicket defeat against Delhi Capitals, marking a disappointing begin to their IPL 2026 campaign.
Asked to bat first by Axar Patel, LSG struggled with the bat in front of their home crowd. Pant’s move to open the innings did not repay, while key players like Ayush Badoni and Nicholas Pooran also couldn’t make an impact. Defending a modest total of 142, LSG initially fought back strongly, with their pace attack reducing DC to 26/4 at one stage.
Nevertheless, their control slipped as Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs stitched together an unbeaten partnership to guide DC to victory. After the match, Goenka was spotted on the sphere in discussion with Pant. Rishabh Pant looked animated with hand gestures, while Sanjiv Goenka pointed during a tense exchange, suggesting it was greater than an off-the-cuff chat.
Watch the moment here:
Sanjiv Goenka having a chat with the team support staff after the loss. pic.twitter.com/qUCi913h57
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 1, 2026
BEFORE KL RAHUL, NOW RISHABH PANT 💔
Winning and losing are a part of the sport, but public humiliation should not be. If Sanjiv Goenka has concerns, they belong within the dressing room, not on a world broadcast. Lecturing a captain like KL Rahul & Rishabh Pant in front of cameras… pic.twitter.com/YDCjeacYAt
— Cricket Central (@CricketCentrl) April 1, 2026
Sanjiv Goenka had previously been seen in a similarly intense exchange with Rishabh Pant during a difficult IPL 2025 campaign. Even earlier, the team owner drew widespread attention for his heated on-field confrontation with then-captain KL Rahul following LSG’s heavy defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2024.
Sanjiv Goenka Backs Rishabh Pant Publicly After LSG vs DC Clash in IPL 2026
Following the match, through which DC chased down the goal in 17.1 overs to secure the win, Sanjiv Goenka took to social media to share an encouraging message despite the opening defeat. He expressed strong support for captain Rishabh Pant and voiced confidence that the team would make a robust comeback soon.
“This can be a long season, and moments like these are a part of constructing something meaningful. I actually have full confidence in our captain and the team to reply with strength. To our fans, thanks to your support at Ekana today, we’ll come back stronger. The story of @LucknowIPL this season is much from written,” he posted on X.
Lucknow Super Giants are set to tackle Sunrisers Hyderabad next on the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday, April 5.
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