Was Rishabh Pant leaving LSG? Owner Sanjiv Goenka breaks silence, laughs off rumours
India Today
IPL 2026: Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka, speaking to India Today's sister channel SportsTak, backed Rishabh Pant to deliver and admitted the team's mistakes last season cost them a top-four finish.
Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka said he laughed off rumours suggesting that Rishabh Pant was leaving the Indian Premier League franchise after just one season, backing his captain to deliver in the 2026 campaign. Speaking to India Today's sister channel, SportsTak, Goenka said he has become social media's favourite punching bag during the IPL.
Rishabh Pant was under immense pressure in IPL 2025. He played 14 matches and managed just 269 runs - his worst season with the bat since 2017. Pant's captaincy also came under scrutiny as LSG finished seventh in the 10-team competition, struggling to cope with injury issues, particularly in their pace-bowling unit.
Pant was bought for Rs 27 crore in the mega auction before the 2025 season, making him the most expensive player in the history of the tournament. However, the pressure of the price tag, along with an injury-hit dressing room, did not help his cause during the campaign.
Also Read: Lucknow Super Giants make big call to help accommodate Rishabh Pant in IPL 2026
"What will any captain do if he doesn't have four fast bowlers? You have to look at it from what he had. I personally have great confidence in Rishabh Pant. I know you guys (media) keep speculating if Rishabh will stay at LSG or not. I look at all that and only laugh. I think some social media sites need views. Sanjiv Goenka becomes a very happy and convenient punching bag," Sanjiv Goenka said.
Goenka, meanwhile, admitted that the Super Giants made plenty of mistakes in the 2025 season, which saw them finish outside the top four for the second successive year.
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