Ex-LSG Spinner Defends Sanjiv Goenka Amidst Ownership Controversy
Goenka’s Leadership Style Under Scrutiny
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka has been in the spotlight lately for his seemingly strict approach to team performance. Many fans and pundits believe Goenka demands nothing less than victory from his franchise. This speculation intensified after his interactions with Rishabh Pant following some LSG losses.
The conversation surrounding Goenka’s involvement began last year when he was seen having a heated discussion with then-captain KL Rahul after a heavy loss to SunRisers Hyderabad. Rahul subsequently moved to Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2025 season.
Mishra Comes to Goenka’s Defense
However, former LSG spinner Amit Mishra has stepped in to offer a different perspective. He describes Goenka as a friendly and approachable figure who simply wants the best for the team.
In a recent interview on Cricbuzz, Mishra said, ‘I spoke to the coach last season, and he told me that captain KL Rahul was doing all the work. He was making the 11s, making all the changes, and planning. But this year, I don’t feel like that. This year, after Zaheer Khan has come, I feel like he is talking to everyone. If you see, there is a discussion going on, they are talking to each other. With Digvesh Rathi the coach was talking.’
Mishra added, ‘If you talk about the owner, I never felt he was too involved. Of course, he wanted the team to win. But we did lose matches and after that he never talked loudly or said anything wrong. I feel that the media has shown a little too much. I didn’t feel that there was anything negative like that. But if there is any owner, he says that losing is okay, but just go out there and show some fight. Fight and lose, I have no problem. This is what people told me. This is what happened. Even after losing badly in Kolkata and Hyderabad, the owner came into the dressing room and motivated the team. He never said anything wrong or in a very high tone.’
LSG’s Current Standing
As of now, LSG are currently sixth on the points table with 5 wins and 5 losses from 10 matches.
