Sanjiv Goenka reveals his fondness for Rishabh Pant despite his LSG captaincy exit
Pant struggled to deliver consistent results during his two seasons as LSG captain
LSG finished bottom of the IPL 2026 points table under Pant
Sanjiv Goenka has broken his silence on Rishabh Pant following the wicketkeeper-batter’s decision to step down as Lucknow Super Giants captain, offering a notably warm assessment of the India star despite a difficult two-season stint with the franchise.
Speaking on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, the LSG owner said he remains “very fond” of Pant and highlighted the batter’s personality away from the cricket field. He described Pant as innocent and almost childlike, recalling how the 28-year-old could affectionately approach people or pull off unexpected pranks.
“I’m very fond of him [Rishabh Pant]. He has an innocence about him. He is almost childlike. He can come and hold you from behind with love, just like a child would. He can also come from anywhere and prank you. That’s the kind of person he is,” Goenka said.
Goenka’s comments come just months after Pant’s leadership spell with LSG came to an end. The franchise had invested heavily in the wicketkeeper-batter, signing him for INR 27 crore at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction and subsequently handing him the captaincy. Pant, however, was unable to deliver the desired results across his two seasons in Lucknow.
The captaincy exit was confirmed by LSG on May 29, 2026, after Pant himself requested to be relieved of the responsibility.
Why Pant’s LSG Captaincy Failed To Take Off?
Pant’s tenure at LSG produced disappointing results, particularly in IPL 2026. The franchise won only four of its 14 league matches and finished at the bottom of the points table, missing the playoffs for a third consecutive season.
The numbers also reflected Pant’s struggles with the bat. He scored 269 runs in IPL 2025 at an average of 24.45 before making 312 runs in 14 matches in IPL 2026 at 28.36. He managed only one half-century in the 2026 campaign.
Across his 28 matches as LSG captain over the 2025 and 2026 seasons, Pant led the team to 11 victories and suffered 17 defeats, giving him a win percentage of 39.29.
His departure from the leadership role was followed by another major development. In June 2026, Pant was traded back to Delhi Capitals, with spinner Kuldeep Yadav moving to LSG in the deal.
