KL Rahul returns to Lucknow for the first time after the result with LSG owner Sanjeev Goenka

Former Lucknow super legendary captain KL Rahul once again returns to Ekna Stadium. But this time, he will not be in an LSG jersey. He will visit the stadium, once he called home as a rival after his public fight with LSG owner Sanjeev Goenka.

Looking for a new challenge, KL Rahul joined the LSG from Punjab Kings in IPL 2022, where he had his best years in the IPL. But in LSG, it was an infallible exit, the result of a public fight with the owner. As the LSG vs. DC match takes place on Tuesday, Lucknow should be careful that Rahul always hunts his former. Ask Royal Challengers Bangalore about it.

what went wrong?

All this started with a poor 2024 campaign. When KL Rahul was scoring for fun, there were many things about his dull approach. But it reached a tipping point when SRH blew up LSG on 8 May. Rahul drew 29-gent 33 as LSG scored 165/4 runs in 20 overs. Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head chased that target in only 9.4 overs without losing wickets.

Goenka faced Rahul after the match, and the scene was in the air. While Goenka allegedly apologized to Rahul, he did not go down well with fans in his treatment of LSG captain. LSG IPL finished 7th in 2024.

The LSG owner invited KL Rahul to eat a family in Kolkata in August 2024. After meeting and greeting, Goenka called Rahul a “part of the family”. However, LSG did not retain Rahul for IPL 2025 as both parties participated mutually.

Goenka said that its purpose was to maintain players with “a winning mentality” while digging in Rahul. Next to the auction, Rahul also said, saying that he “wanted to play for a franchise with a good environment where he could play with freedom.” Rahul joined Delhi Capital in IPL 2025 but refused the captaincy. In his first three matches for DC, he scored 51-Chands 77 vs CSK and followed it with 93, who won the match for 53 runs against his former team RCB.

Now, for the first time, he will face the Lucknow super veterans with Sanjeev Goenka, who is looking at him from the stand. Rahul has a history of hurting his old franchise. After leaving RCB, Rahul scored 451 runs in just eight innings at an average of 90.20.

KL Rahul in LSG

In three sessions in LSG, KL Rahul scored 1410 runs at an average of 41.40. He also had two centuries and 10 half -centuries in 38 innings. Despite leaving the franchise in IPL 2025, Nicholas Gorn is third for the team.

KL Rahul vs Sanjeev Goenka: A Timeline

• January, 2022: LSG, a new IPL franchise, indicates KL Rahul for ₹ 17 crore, making him his marki player and captain.
• April May, 2022: Under Rahul’s leadership, LSG ranks third in its debut season, qualifying for playoffs. Rahul scored 616 runs at a strike rate of 135.38, praising his stability.
• April May 2023: LSG again reaches the playoffs, finished third. Rahul scored 274 runs in 9 matches before the thigh injury ends his campaign. His captaincy is appreciated for promoting team unity, with no report with the owner Sanjeev Goenka.
• 8 May, 2024: LSG faces a 10 -wicket defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Hyderabad. Rahul has been criticized for a slow pace of 29 runs in 33 balls. After the match, cameras hold Goenka in a hot, public discussion near Seema, in controversy.
• 9-10 May, 2024: The video goes viral, draws backlash on social media. Fans and former players slam Goenka to publicly reprimand Rahul. Posts call it “derogatory” and compare it with MS Dhoni in 2017 with Goenka’s previous result.
• May, 2024: Reports suggest that Goenka apologized to Rahul in a privately, invited him to invite him for dinner.
• May, 2024: LSG is at seventh position with 12 points, remembering the playoffs. Rahul scored 520 runs in 14 matches (strike rate 136.13), but faced an investigation into his conservative approach.
• August, 2024: Rahul meets Goenka in Kolkata to discuss his future with LSG. Rahul expressed his desire to retain his wish, but the LSG avoids the BCCI’s retention policy to pending. Goenka publicly calls Rahul a “family”, but indicates strategic changes.
• 31 October, 2024: LSG announced a counter -counterpart for IPL 2025, except Rahul. Goenka focused on the players with the “winning mentality”, which is considered as Rahul’s subtle criticism. Rahul later makes it clear that the decision was mutual, he said that he sought “freedom” and a mild team environment to revive his T20 career.
• November 24-25, 2024: At the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Delhi Capital (DC) secured him for ₹ 14 crore after a bid war with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
• 24 NovemberMeanwhile, LSG snatched the RES 27 crore on Rishabh Pants as its new captain.