'Massive Storm In A Teacup': LSG Coach Justin Langer Opens Up On KL Rahul-Sanjiv Goenka Incident

Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer has addressed the recent controversy in the ongoing IPL 2024 involving team owner Sajiv Goenka and skipper KL Rahul. This follows their defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad last week. Goenka was seen in an intense discussion with Rahul after SRH thrashed LSG by 10 wickets, chasing down 166 runs within 10 overs at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday, May 8.

The video clip of their exchange went viral, with fans and commentators criticizing Goenka's behavior. Some reports even suggested that Rahul might not play for the franchise again and could leave the team before the next season.

PTI

Additionally, there were reports that Rahul had not traveled with the squad to Delhi to face Delhi Capitals on Tuesday, May 14, following the altercation with the team owner.

KL Rahul-Sanjiv Goenka discussion 'was quite tame': Justin Langer

However, Langer, who witnessed the exchange, clarified that the discussion "might have looked aggressive, but it was quite tame."

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"It's a massive storm in a teacup, in fact, in an espresso cup. The thing that fascinates me about India is this incredible passion about cricket. Mr. Goenka is no different. I'm no different. KL is no different," Langer said in an interview with Times of India.

"Our plan for the game (vs SRH) didn't go perfectly. In fact, it was a disaster. After the game, Mr. Goenka came onto the field and asked KL, 'What happened? Our plan that we talked about hasn't worked. What do we do now?' And then we talked through it."

I am neither an IPL fan nor #KLRahul ¡®s! But the open dressing down by the promoter Sanjiv Goenka of Lucknow Super Giants to KL Rahul is in bad taste!

It¡¯s like the king abusing the slave!#LSGvSRH #IPLCricket2024 pic.twitter.com/r3xYFHw9hj

¡ª Anu Sehgal ?? (@anusehgal) May 8, 2024

Langer emphasized that the lack of sound might have led people to misinterpret the discussion as aggressive, but it was actually quite calm. He added that the owners have given them the freedom to manage the team.

"The sound was off, no one heard what was said. It might have looked quite aggressive, but it was really quite tame," Langer added regarding the post-match discussion between Rahul and Goenka.

"When I first came to IPL, a lot of people told me the biggest challenge was how you deal with owners who want to be involved. The truth is the owners have just let KL and me go about our business. It's been such a relaxed experience at LSG," Langer said. "I'm surprised at the aftermath of that night. The truth got blown away."

¡°My point is that Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul are incredibly wealthy, but they are superstars because of the way they perform. Dhoni won a World Cup and was one of the greatest finishers of the game. People will never forget those performances,¡± said Langer when asked about ego being a problem with players to TOI.

KL Rahul and Sanjiv Goenka Share Hug at Team Dinner

Meanwhile, Sanjiv Goenka hosted team captain KL Rahul for dinner on Monday at his residence in Delhi, where the two shared a warm hug.

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Earlier, it was reported that the heated exchange had impacted the internal dynamics of LSG. Players were advised to refrain from posting anything on social media, and the franchise has posted only once since the incident on May 8. Notably, Goenka restricted his Instagram comments section following the backlash.

Despite their last match loss, LSG remains in the playoff race. They need to win their remaining two matches by a significant margin and hope for favorable outcomes in other matches. LSG will play against Delhi Capitals on Tuesday, May 14, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, and their final league stage match will be against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday, May 17.

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