IPL: Former LSG player clarifies Sanjiv Goenka's role in decision-making - 'If you talk about the owners...'

IPL: Former LSG player clarifies Sanjiv Goenka's role in decision-making

Former India cricketer Amit Mishra claimed that although KL Rahul was making important decisions when leading the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 2024 Indian Premier League, this season's decision-making appears to be much more decentralized. He also claimed that the media fostered an image of overly demanding LSG owners.

After IPL 2024, Lucknow, like the other Indian Premier League teams, underwent a significant makeover. During the off-season, the team cut ties with Rahul and signed Rishabh Pant, the most expensive acquisition in Indian Premier League (IPL) history.

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When Rahul was captain, he used to do the majority of the hard work behind the scenes, according to Mishra, who played for Lucknow in the IPL 2023 and 2024. “Last year when I spoke with JL (Justin Langer), he told me that KL Rahul was in full control, he was doing all of the work. He was setting the playing XI and doing the planning. This year, I don’t think that is the case," Mishra said while speaking on Cricbuzz.

“I think everyone is involved. If you see Pant in the dugout, he is talking with Zak (Zaheer Khan). I also saw (Digvesh) Rathi talk with Langer," Mishra said.

After ten IPL 2025 games, Lucknow find themselves in a precarious position in the standings. Since Sanjiv Goenka's tirade on the field with Rahul, the Lucknow management has been seen negatively.

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“If you talk about the owners, I never felt that they were involved too much. The owner never raised his voice or said anything wrong in the dressing room, he was always positive. I think the media did a little too much show-off," Mishra said.

On Sunday, April 27, the Mumbai Indians, who are currently in excellent form, crushed Lucknow by 54 runs to continue their winning streak. Suryakumar Yadav took the lead as the tournament's top run scorer with his 28-ball 54, but Virat Kohli passed him later in the evening as the hosts thrashed LSG in a lopsided match.