Big Warning to Rishabh Pant? Sanjiv Goenka Says Playoffs Not Good Enough

LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka said playoffs are not enough and urged Rishabh Pant’s side to win their first IPL title after mixed results in recent seasons.

Lucknow Super Giants reached the playoffs in their first 2 seasons, finishing third both times. However, the team slipped to 7th in 2024 after a difficult campaign. Reports of tension between KL Rahul and management also surfaced.

The franchise made changes before IPL 2025. KL Rahul left after leading for 3 seasons and LSG spent Rs 27 crore to sign Rishabh Pant as captain. However, results did not improve in 2025. The team again finished 7th on the table.

Owner Sanjiv Goenka has now set a clear target. He suggested that playoff appearances are not good enough and expects the team to win its first IPL title.

“I think the true identity is still evolving. For any sports team, until you win, you don’t receive the same level of respect or affection that comes with lifting the trophy. Yes, we’ve made the playoffs twice, but that’s clearly not good enough. You win some, you lose some, but we have to win our first trophy,” Goenka said on JioHotstar.

Earlier, Goenka had also dismissed reports about releasing Rishabh Pant. He backed the captain and pointed to the injuries last season.

READ MORE | Sanjiv Goenka Backs Rishabh Pant Despite Poor Season, Dismisses Release Rumours

LSG had won 4 of their first 6 matches in IPL 2025. The team managed results despite missing key bowlers. Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh opened the innings and Digvesh Rathi impressed in his debut season. Goenka admitted the bowling unit lacked depth. The franchise has now focused on building a stronger domestic pace group.

“The positive (from IPL 2025) was that we won four of our first six games despite most of our frontline bowlers being injured. There were some bold moves, Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh opening, which isn’t their usual position, and it turned out to be their best IPL season for both of them. Digvesh Rathi came in as a complete newcomer and did well for us. However, we did realise that we lacked a strong bowling core, and we’ve consciously addressed that by building a domestic Indian bowling unit this time. We’re happy with what we have,” he said.

“You can always improve, aspire to do better, there’s no end to improving. But at the end of the day, this is a squad that has everything required. Now it’s about coming together and performing as a unit, rather than as individuals. Last year, there were too many individuals performing. This year, we want to perform as a team,” Goenka concluded.