Amit Mishra reveals LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka’s true face, says ‘he came to the dressing room…’

New Delhi: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka’s demanding nature and expectation of success have been widely discussed among cricket fans. This perception stems from observed interactions, particularly videos showing him speaking with captain Rishabh Pant. Speculation intensified last year after a heated exchange with then-captain KL Rahul following a significant loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Former Lucknow Super Giants spinner Amit Mishra refuted claims of owner Sanjiv Goenka’s unfriendly behavior, describing him as supportive and solely focused on the team’s success. Mishra also stated during a Cricbuzz interview that KL Rahul held ultimate decision-making authority during the previous season.

A 42-year-old individual commented on the altered team dynamic this season, noting increased participation from mentor Zaheer Khan and head coach Justin Langer, resulting in a more unified team effort.

“I spoke to the coach last season, and he told me that KL Rahul is doing all the work. He is making the 11s, making all the changes, and planning. But this year, I don’t feel like that. This year, when Zaheer Khan has gone, I feel like he is talking to everyone. If you see, there is a discussion going on, they are talking to each other,” Mishra said.

“I saw the coach Justin Langer on the pitch before the match against Mumbai Indians. He was speaking to Digvesh Rathi. So, I feel that the discussion is going well overall. I don’t feel he is very involved if you talk about the owner. Yes, he definitely wants to win. But he always stays positive when coming to the dressing room,” he added.

Following a Lucknow Super Giants match where they conceded over 160 runs in ten overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Amit Mishra recounted a conversation between KL Rahul and team owner Sanjiv Goenka. Mishra stated that Goenka emphasized the importance of consistent fighting spirit from his team.

“I feel that the media has shown off a little too much. I didn’t feel that there was anything like that. But this time, I feel that the overall discussion is going on. It is not like that at all. I can say this because we were losing two matches very badly. We lost in Kolkata in an awful way. We lost the match in 11 overs. Then we went to Hyderabad, where we lost the match in 9 overs,” said Mishra.

“So, if there is any owner, he says that losing is okay, but just go out there and show some fight. Fight and lose, I have no problem. This is what people told me. This is what happened. But I feel that even after losing so badly, we lost two matches more. He came to the dressing room. The owner gives motivation to the team. He never said anything wrong or said anything in a very high tone,” he added.

Speaking of KL Rahul and Sanjiv Goenka, the latter tried to interact with the India batter after LSG’s defeat to Delhi Capitals this season. However, Rahul seemed in a hurry and returned to the dugout after shaking hands with him and his son.

The Lucknow Super Giants lost to the Mumbai Indians by 54 runs on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium, dropping them to sixth place in the league standings.

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