"A narrative is built, someone has a PR, so let it get built" - LSG's Sanjiv Goenka on being a 'misunderstood' owner heading into IPL 2025

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka has claimed that he and the franchise's new captain Rishabh Pant are 'misunderstood' people. The RPSG group chairman added that he wasn't bothered by the narratives created about him on social media.

Pant (₹27 crore) was LSG's most prized acquisition at the IPL 2025 auction, becoming the highest-paid player in the tournament's history. The wicketkeeper-batter was recently appointed the franchise's skipper for the upcoming edition of the prestigious league.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener asked Goenka how he dealt with the criticism that came his way as LSG owner.

"He (Pant) is a misunderstood cricketer and I am a misunderstood owner. You have to face it. There are situations when you counter it, and there are situations when you say you don't want to counter it at all. Time will automatically prove what is right and what is wrong," Goenka responded (12:30).

"A narrative is built, someone has a PR, so let it get built. It doesn't matter. I suppose it does matter, but it doesn't really matter in the long run. So, don't let it impact you," he added.

Goenka was criticized when he was seen having a heated discussion with KL Rahul, LSG's captain in IPL 2024, after being thrashed by the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a league-stage game. Rahul wasn't retained and no attempts were made to reacquire him at the auction.

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"This decision was taken as soon as we succeeded in the auction" - Sanjiv Goenka on appointing Rishabh Pant as LSG captain

Rishabh Pant (right) captained the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024. [P/C: iplt20.com]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra asked Sanjiv Goenka when and why he decided to appoint Rishabh Pant as the Lucknow Super Giants captain.

"Quite honestly, this decision was taken as soon as we succeeded in the auction, and why? It's a very simple answer. Very few players have as much passion and desire to win as I have seen in Rishabh. I didn't know Rishabh that well before. When I was seeing him play, there were little nuances about his game and body language that impressed me," he replied.

Goenka highlighted a few attributes of Pant that showcase his winning mentality.

"He always puts the team ahead of self. That again is something that I felt is a great quality to have. The fact he had a near-fatal accident, and he had the willpower, determination, and discipline to overcome that and come back to his current form. That is again a sign of a winner," he elaborated.

Sanjiv Goenka expressed optimism about Rishabh Pant leading LSG for the next 10 to 12 years. While acknowledging that he has no say in it, Goenka added that his assessment and desire is to see Pant captain India in the future.