IPL 2026: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka has turned down rumours of planning to release captain Rishabh Pant after a disappointing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.
Lucknow Super Giants made a bold move at the IPL mega auction, splashing out a staggering Rs 27 crore to secure Pant. The 2025 season proved a disheartening chapter for LSG and Pant, with the franchise missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year, finishing seventh.
Goenka expressed his confidence in Pant, citing the challenges he faced with key bowlers injured and emphasising that the team had bigger problems.
“If a captain is deprived of his four key bowlers, what is he expected to do? We must, therefore, assess the resources he actually had at his disposal. I have complete faith in him," Goenka told SportsTak.
“Sometimes, when people speculate about whether Rishabh will be retained or not, I simply look at it and laugh. Perhaps certain social media platforms are merely chasing views; Sanjiv Goenka makes for a convenient punching bag," he said.
Despite a lone century, his batting output was underwhelming, yielding just 269 runs from 13 innings.
“He is excellent. He is straightforward and direct in his communication. He strives to give 100 per cent to the franchise. Therefore, when a player, regardless of whether he is the captain or not, gives his absolute 100 per cent, you cannot reasonably expect anything more from him," he said.
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Lucknow Super Giants will kick off their IPL 2026 campaign with a home fixture against Delhi Capitals, Pant's former team, at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on April 1.