IPL has once again been caught up in a controversy, but this time it is between Lalit Modi, who was once the chairman of IPL, and the owner of the Lucknow Super Giants, Sanjiv Goenka. In his latest outburst, Modi described Goenka as “the worst franchise owner,” and even criticized him for his lack of knowledge about IPL. These comments have only brought back questions regarding the behavior of Sanjiv Goenka with the captains of their teams and the way he runs the franchise. As the Lucknow Super Giants suffered a terrible season in IPL 2026, this criticism from Modi has only helped stir more debate.
Speaking during an interview with Humans of Bombay, Modi launched a direct attack on Goenka, as he said “I think he is the worst franchise owner. He shouldn’t own a bloody franchise. He doesn’t understand.”
He further described Goenka as a businessman focused only on profits and claimed that the LSG owner had contributed to a decline in IPL ratings. Modi also said Goenka lacked the courage to confront issues privately and had become a subject of memes among cricket fans.
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The backlash only got worse when Lucknow Super Giants played their match against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026. They faced a heavy defeat by six wickets in their home game, revealing issues with batting and overall gameplay. After the match, images emerged where Goenka had an intense discussion on the field with his captain Rishabh Pant and his head coach Justin Langer.
Although the dialogue could not be heard, it became very clear what they were talking about, and images were quickly uploaded to various social media platforms. This led to backlashes from people who wondered whether it was appropriate for such conversations to occur in public view. It was not long before Modi himself expressed his disapproval through social media regarding owners criticizing their captains after a loss.
The KL Rahul Incident Of IPL 2024
The latest controversy also revived memories of a widely discussed episode from IPL 2024. After Lucknow’s crushing 10-wicket defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Goenka was seen having an animated conversation with then-captain KL Rahul on the field.
The defeat was particularly one-sided. LSG posted 165/4 in 20 overs, with Rahul scoring 29 off 33 balls. In reply, Sunrisers Hyderabad chased down 166 without losing a wicket in just 9.4 overs. Travis Head blasted 89 not out off 30 balls, while Abhishek Sharma struck 75 not out from 28 deliveries. The result highlighted major tactical failures and became one of the most talked-about moments of the season.
Rahul Admitted The Incident Affected The Team
A few months later, Rahul brought up the incident and stated how it had affected the locker room. According to him, the fact that the whole exchange took place in public was something no one wished to see happen on a cricket pitch, and it certainly left its effect on everyone in the team.
The consequences of this incident were far-reaching and spilled over into the next season. Prior to the IPL 2025 mega auction, Rahul decided to part ways with Lucknow Super Giants even though he had been retained by the team. When asked about his reasons for doing so, Rahul said that he felt like he needed a new beginning.
