After the Lucknow Super Giants’ IPL 2024 loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad by a 10-wicket margin, owner Sanjiv Goenka lost his composure. The loss severely hurt their net run rate, which put tremendous pressure on the KL Rahul-led club, which was vying for a postseason spot. Rahul, who scored 29 runs off of 33 balls in that game, especially disappointed Goenka with his performance.
The two drew attention with their animated post-game conversation. It was said that Goenka wanted a new skipper on board and that their relationship had soured ever since. But recently, things have changed when the two were seen meeting at Goenka’s Kolkata office. Even though Rahul is like “family” to the LSG owner, it’s unclear if he’ll be back with the squad for the upcoming season.
Krishnappa Gowtham, a teammate of Rahul’s with the LSG, spoke candidly about what transpired that evening at Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Recalling that
Sanjiv Goenka was not pleased with the performance, he said Rahul was attempting to explain to Goenka what had gone wrong.
“We lost the game, and it kind of disappointed him [franchise owner Sanjeev Goenka].” Every human being experiences emotions and goes through a rollercoaster. Like KL, he maintained his composure. He gave him a chance to speak. He chose not to accept either side. He did not adopt the stance of the players or the owner. In an exclusive conversation, Gowtham said, “He remained composed and attentive to everything because he needed to analyse it before explaining it [to Goenka on what went wrong].”
“It was a little animated, but I believe someone who has dedicated a lot of time and energy to the team and witnessed our defeat in that game.” It, in my opinion, demonstrates his level of devotion to the group and his ideals for them. He wants us to enjoy ourselves when we win everything. Gowtham went on, “He was disappointed by the result, which is why he responded the way he did.
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After seven wins in 14 games, Lucknow ended seventh on the points table and missed out on the 2024 playoffs. Their bowls coach, Morne Morkel, recently departed the squad to become a member of the coaching staff in India. Following his exit, the franchise introduced Zaheer Khan as their guide. The rumour mill is aflutter in the meantime about Rahul possibly quitting LSG.
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