Will Rishabh Pant leave Lucknow Super Giants? Sanjeev Goenka’s statement

Sanjeev Goenka’s clear statement regarding Rishabh Pant

New Delhi: Ahead of the start of IPL 2026, team owner Sanjiv Goenka has given a clear reaction to the ongoing speculations about Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant. He said that Pant is an important part of the team and the news of his departure is completely baseless.

Answer to ongoing discussions on social media

Commenting on the discussions spread on social media, Goenka said that every season he feels like a ‘punching bag’. According to him, many platforms spread such things just to attract attention. He clarified that the talk of Pant leaving the team is completely baseless and he does not take it seriously.

Pant’s performance in the last season

Sanjeev Goenka said that people repeatedly raise this question whether Rishabh Pant will remain in the Lucknow team. To this he only reacted by laughing. Goenka said that some social media platforms only need views. Rishabh Pant’s performance in IPL 2025 was relatively unsatisfactory, scoring only 269 runs in 14 matches.

Lucknow Super Giants performance

Lucknow Super Giants’ performance last season was also not satisfactory, and the team finished seventh in the points table. Injuries to several key players also affected the team’s condition. Goenka supported Pant and said that the circumstances of the team cannot be ignored while evaluating the performance of any captain. Rishabh Pant was bought for Rs 27 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. Goenka also admitted that there were some mistakes in team selection and strategy, but this time an effort has been made to rectify those shortcomings.

Lucknow’s first match against Delhi Capitals

Lucknow Super Giants have focused on building a balanced team for IPL 2026. Mayank Yadav is expected to return to the team, while Mohsin Khan and Avesh Khan will also be available. Along with this, the team has been further strengthened by including players like Enrique Norcia and Jose Inglis. Lucknow Super Giants is going to play its first match against Delhi Capitals on 1st April, while the tournament will start from 28th March.