Samira Vishwas
Tezzbuzz|02-04-2026
Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant and head coach Justin Langer were seen in a discussion with team owner Sanjiv Goenka on the field after their six-wicket defeat to Delhi Capitals on Wednesday. Playing at home, LSG endured a disappointing outing with the bat, getting bowled out for just 141. Key players failed to make an impact in their opening game, with Pant managing 7, Aiden Markram scoring 11, and Nicholas Pooran adding only 8. The loss marked a poor start to their campaign and raised early concerns in their batting department. The bowlers did try to put up some fight by taking early wickets, but Sameer Rizvi (70*) and Tristan Stubbs (39*) took the game away, and Delhi registered the win clinically with 2.5 overs to spare.
After the match, visuals of Goenka in conversation with Pant were broadcast, though there was no audio available. The exchange appeared a bit intense from the footage, and clips and images of the discussion, with coach Langer also involved, quickly went viral online.
Earlier, Goenka had come under scrutiny a couple of years ago for a similar incident, though it involved KL Rahul, then LSG skipper. The episode was widely viewed as a public fallout after a 2024 IPL match, when Goenka was seen having an animated on-field exchange with the captain following a defeat. Many compared the Rahul episode with Wednesday’s exchange between Pant and Goenka on the field.
After Wednesday’s loss, Goenka acknowledged the result on X, striking a composed and optimistic note as he backed his team and captain while urging patience early in the season.
“This is a long season, and moments like these are part of building something meaningful. I have full confidence in our captain and the team to respond with strength. To our fans, thank you for your support at Ekana today, we will come back stronger. The story of @LucknowIPL this season is far from written,” he wrote on X.
Rishabh Pant 50-50 on batting position
Meanwhile, Pant, who has largely batted in the middle order in recent seasons, pushed himself up to open for Lucknow Super Giants in their first game. However, the skipper remains undecided on whether he will continue in that role throughout the IPL. Pant managed just 7 before being run out at the non-striker’s end after Mukesh Kumar deflected a direct hit from Mitchell Marsh.
“It’s a 50-50 call,” Pant said after the match when asked if he would continue opening throughout instead of the crack pair of Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh.
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