Owner Sanjiv Goenka Draws Fire For Upbraiding Skipper Rahul In Public

NEW DELHI, (IANS) – After Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2024 match at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, skipper KL Rahul and LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka engaged in a visibly intense conversation.

The broadcasters characterized the interaction as “Animated reactions from the LSG camp.”

SRH stormed through to a 10-wicket victory over LSG. The owner of LSG appeared visibly displeased after the match’s outcome and was seen engaged in a discussion with skipper Rahul along the boundary lines as Rahul seemed to remain quiet during the dressing down.

Although the content of their conversation was inaudible, the animated exchange between the owner and captain, captured by the broadcaster, gained traction on social media.

And fans and game experts were unsettled suggesting that discussions about the loss should take place in private rather than in front of spectators.

“A player of such caliber KL Rahul needing to bear the wrath of the team owner on field in national media is depressing to say the least! #pathetic. U guys are disappointed – we get it! Talk it out in a team meeting behind closed doors!” wrote a use on X.

“How an entrepreneur can be so hard man it’s a match or a game where you win or lose it’s really a painful experience for #KLRahul,” another one said.

“This is just pathetic from @LucknowIPL owner. Never saw SRH management with players on the field or even closer to dressing room irrespective of so many bad seasons and still face lot of wrath for getting involved. Just look at this @klrahul…” another comment read.

“You always feel these conversations should be happening behind closed doors. There are so many cameras around the stadium, and they miss nothing. You know KL Rahul is now going to go to press conferences and other things and potentially explain what’s been discussed here,” an expert said on Jio Cinema.

It has been a tough few day for the 32-year-old Rahul as this follows days after the right-handed wicketkeeper batter was left out of the squad that will travel to the West Indies and USA for the 2024 T20 World Cup.

In recent days, Rahul has been criticised for his strike rate being too slow for the T20s.