Rishabh Pant and Sanjiv Goenka (X) Lucknow Super Giants have countered growing speculation after a viral post-match moment involving owner Sanjiv Goenka and captain Rishabh Pant sparked widespread debate online.The controversy erupted after Lucknow were bowled out by six wickets in their opening match of IPL 2026 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. While the result revealed the side’s initial concerns, it was the post-game visuals that quickly took center stage.
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Mukul Choudhary on LSG’s game plan: foster partnership and stay fearless Broadcast footage showed Goenka engaging in what appeared to be an intense conversation with Pant, with head coach Justin Langer also part of the discussion. With no audio available, the clip led to widespread speculation, with many drawing comparisons to the controversial interaction between Goenka and KL Rahul in 2024, which had earlier raised questions about the franchise owners’ involvement.Amid the growing uproar, LSG attempted to address the situation by releasing what they called an “unfiltered clip” on social media. The video captured a more relaxed interaction between Pant and Goenka, with the two seen sharing a hug.The caption read: “Not everything you see is the real story, here’s the unfiltered post-match vibes when the cameras aren’t rolling.”The explanation, however, did little to quell the chatter. Several fans remained skeptical, pointing to the empty stands visible in the background and suggesting that the footage may not have been taken immediately after the match. Some have even speculated that the clip may have been staged to counter the story, although there is no evidence to support such claims.
Fan reaction
Fan reaction
Fan reaction
Earlier, Goenka avoided directly addressing the controversy and instead chose to focus on the bigger picture in a social media post.
Posted by Sanjiv Goenka
“This is a long season and moments like these are part of building something meaningful. I have full faith in our captain and the team to respond with strength. To our fans, thank you for your support today in Ekana, we will come back stronger. LSG’s story this season is far from written,” he wrote.
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Lucknow will now look to overcome off-field distractions when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on April 5. SRH will enter the contest with momentum after an impressive 65-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens.
