Former Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul returns to the Ekana Stadium once again. But this time, he won’t be in an LSG jersey. He will visit the stadium, once he called home, as an opponent after his public feud with LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka.
In search of a new challenge, KL Rahul joined LSG in IPL 2022 from Punjab Kings, where he had his best years in IPL. But at LSG, it was rather an unceremonious exit, a result of a public feud with the owner. As the LSG vs DC match takes place on Tuesday, Lucknow must be wary that Rahul always haunts his ex. Ask Royal Challengers Bengaluru about it.
LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka had an animated chat with KL Rahul post their loss to SRH on May 8, 2024What went wrong?
It all started with a poor 2024 campaign. While KL Rahul was scoring for fun, there was a lot of chatter about his sluggish approach. But it reached a tipping point when SRH blew LSG away on May 8. Rahul scored a sluggish 29-ball 33 as LSG posted 165/4 in 20 overs batting first. Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head chased that target down in just 9.4 overs without losing a wicket.
Goenka confronted Rahul after the match, and the visuals were on air. While Goenka reportedly apologised to Rahul privately, his treatment of the LSG captain did not go down well with fans. LSG finished 7th in the IPL 2024.
LSG owner invited KL Rahul for a family dinner in Kolkata in August 2024 to mend ties. After the meet and greet, Goenka called Rahul “part of the family”. However, LSG did not retain Rahul for IPL 2025 as the two parties mutually parted ways.
Goenka said that the aim was to retain players with “a winning mindset”, taking a dig at Rahul. Ahead of the auction, Rahul also hit back, saying he wanted to play for a franchise with “a good atmosphere where he could play with freedom.” Rahul joined Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025 but refused captaincy. In his first three matches for DC, he scored a 51-ball 77 vs CSK and followed it up with a match-winning 93 off 53 against his ex-team RCB.
Now, for the first time, he will face Lucknow Super Giants with Sanjiv Goenka watching him from the stands. Rahul has a history of hurting his old franchises. After leaving RCB, Rahul scored 451 runs in just eight innings at an average of 90.20.
KL Rahul at LSG
In three seasons at LSG, KL Rahul scored 1410 runs at an average of 41.40. He also had two centuries and 10 fifties in 38 innings. Nicholas Pooran is distant third for the team despite Rahul leaving the franchise in IPL 2025.
SeasonInnsRunsAvgSR100s50sHS20221561651.33135.3824103*2023927434.25113.22027420241452037.14136.130482Overall38141041.47130.68210103*KL Rahul vs Sanjiv Goenka: A timeline
January, 2022: LSG, a new IPL franchise, signs KL Rahul for ₹17 crore, making him their marquee player and captain. April–May, 2022: Under Rahul’s leadership, LSG finishes third in their debut season, qualifying for the playoffs. Rahul scores 616 runs at a strike rate of 135.38, earning praise for his consistency. April–May 2023: LSG again reaches the playoffs, finishing third. Rahul scores 274 runs in 9 matches before a thigh injury ends his campaign. His captaincy is lauded for fostering team unity, with no reported tensions with owner Sanjiv Goenka. May 8, 2024: LSG suffers a 10-wicket defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Hyderabad. Rahul’s 29 off 33 balls is criticised for its slow pace. Post-match, cameras capture Goenka in a heated, public discussion with Rahul near the boundary, sparking controversy. May 9–10, 2024: The video goes viral, drawing backlash on social media. Fans and former players slam Goenka for publicly reprimanding Rahul. Posts call it “disrespectful” and compare it to Goenka’s past fallout with MS Dhoni in 2017. May, 2024: Reports suggest Goenka apologizes to Rahul privately, inviting him for dinner to mend ties. May, 2024: LSG finishes seventh with 12 points, missing the playoffs. Rahul scores 520 runs in 14 matches (strike rate 136.13), but his conservative approach faces scrutiny. August, 2024: Rahul meets Goenka in Kolkata to discuss his future with LSG. Rahul expresses his desire to be retained, but LSG defers the decision pending the BCCI’s retention policy. Goenka publicly calls Rahul “family” but hints at strategic changes. October 31, 2024: LSG announced retentions for IPL 2025, excluding Rahul. Goenka cited a focus on players with a “winning mindset,” perceived as a subtle critique of Rahul. Rahul later clarifies the decision was mutual, stating he sought “freedom” and a lighter team environment to revive his T20 career. November 24–25, 2024: At the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Delhi Capitals (DC) secured him for ₹14 crore after a bidding war with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). November 24: LSG, meanwhile, splurged ₹27 crore on Rishabh Pant as their new captain.KL Rahul returns to Lucknow for first time after fallout with LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka Inside Sport India.
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