Sanjiv Goenka didn’t hide his anger after Lucknow Super Giants lost against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday. The chat between KL Rahul and LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka grabbed attention after the team’s heavy loss. Sunrisers Hyderabad’s opening duo, Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma hit LSG bowlers all over the field, chasing the target of 166 runs in just 9.4 overs.
Goenka was upset with how LSG performed in the match and seemed to express his unhappiness to Rahul after the game. Their conversation became viral on social media, with many fans criticizing Goenka for discussing it publicly. Fans thought Goenka should have talked to the players privately. During the live broadcast, former cricketers Mike Hesson and Graeme Smith shared similar thoughts.
Hesson understood Goenka’s frustration but was surprised that he expressed it publicly. He mentioned a gap in quality between the two teams and felt LSG played too conservatively. While SRH openers had a strike rate over 250, LSG captain Rahul scored 29 off 31 balls.
Graeme Smith thought the owner was “passionate” but believed such conversations should be private. He sympathized with Rahul, saying it would be hard for him to explain the chat with Goenka in press conferences.
“It’s the owner who is very passionate about his team. His team has taken an absolute drubbing, and the emotions have rolled over. You feel these conversations should be happening behind closed doors. There are so many cameras around; they’re not missing anything. KL Rahul would now go to press conferences and other things and potentially explain what’s been discussed,” said Smith.
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