- Monday, February 24, 2025
The Lucknow Super Giants owner was visibly upset with the one-sided result of the match and spoke with the captain in animater way, irking the fans.
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE controversy centred around the owner of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) allegedly reprimanding his team’s captain following a humiliating defeat in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) is refusing to die down. After fans and a couple of foreign former cricketer and coach disagreed with how Sanjiv Goenka, owner of the franchise, spoke to KL Rahul after their team was thrashed by Sunrisers Hyderabad in a crucial match in Hyderabad on Wednesday (8), it was ace India pacer Mohammed Shami who broke his silence over the matter.
Taking a strong dig at Goenka, the cricketer, who has missed the IPL this year due to an ankle injury, said the former’s behaviour was a matter of shame and that such a thing could have unfolded behind the four walls — in the team dressing room or hotel.
Goenka, 63, was seen speaking in animated manner with Rahul, who stood composed with the wicket-keeping gloves in his hand, after Lucknow were beaten by Hyderabad by 10 wickets and inside 10 overs after the visitors toiled to post a total of 165 in 20 overs.
Read: Fans not happy after Lucknow owner ‘pulls up’ KL Rahul after unreal loss
It was the second successive heavy defeat for the side which was hammered by 98 runs in the previous game by table-toppers Kolkata Knight Riders. The two consecutive defeats have dented Lucknow’s chances of making the playoffs.
The conversation went viral on social media. Goenka’s wife Preeti was also seen standing by the side.
“Players have respect, and you are a respectful person, too, as you are an owner. Many people are watching you and learning from you. If these things happen in front of cameras… ye sharam ki baat hai. It’s a matter of shame,” Shami said while speaking with Cricbuzz.
“If you have to do that, there are many different ways. You could’ve done the same thing in the dressing room or the hotel. It wasn’t necessary to do it on the field. Aise reaction dekar laal qile pe jhanda toh gaada nahi hai aapne (It isn’t as if you hoisted a flag at Red Fort by doing this),” the pacer was quoted as saying.
Read: Hyderabad bulldoze Lucknow by 10 wickets to enter top 3
Shami, who has played alongside Rahul in the national team, said the game of cricket is unpredictable in which anything is possible. He added that Rahul is the captain of the team and not a regular player and such behaviour in public sends a wrong message.
“He’s the captain, too, not a normal player. It’s a team game; if the plan isn’t successful, it isn’t a big thing. Anything is possible in the game. I understand there can be good or bad days, but every player has respect, and there’s a way to talk. This sends a very wrong message,” Shami added.
The pacer has a connection with the eastern Indian state of Bengal where Goenka was born. Shami, who hails from the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, has represented Bengal in first-class cricket.
