LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka only bows down to ‘Lord’ Shardul, viral image draws contrast to KL Rahul interaction

The controversy between Sanjiv Goenka and KL Rahul that happened last season, after the SRH game in Hyderabad, where LSG got humiliated as Hyderabad chased down the decent target in under 10 overs, was widely discussed. After that game, we saw LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka publicly confront KL Rahul. The news spread like wildfire on social media, and Goenka faced a lot of criticism.

However, we also saw Goenka invite KL Rahul for dinner, and some fans felt that Goenka was trying to cover up the controversy. There were speculations that Rahul might leave LSG, and those speculations turned out to be true as Rahul was released by the franchise before the mega auction.

Rishabh Pant’s struggle, but Goenka’s joy shines through

During the mega auction, the franchise placed a big bet on Rishabh Pant, making him the most expensive player in history with a INR 27 crore bid.

However, Pant has been completely out of touch with the bat so far. But what is currently making Goenka happy is how, at the same ground where SRH had defeated LSG in IPL 2024, this time the opposite happened. LSG convincingly beat SRH by 5 wickets, chasing down a 191 target. After the match, Sanjiv Goenka hugged Pant and was in joy.

Sanjiv Goenka praises Shardul Thakur’s brilliance with a bow

Now, hugging the captain after the game was certainly a big gesture, but what is currently making waves is Sanjiv Goenka’s heartfelt gesture towards Shardul Thakur, or as fans call him, “Lord Shardul,” who delivered a match-deciding spell against SRH, taking 4 wickets for 32 runs in just 3.3 overs. With an economy rate of 9.14, he bowled 10 dot balls, putting pressure on the batters. Thakur dismissed Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Abhinav Manohar, and Mohammed Shami. Goenka folded his hands and saluted Shardul Thakur, saying, “The purple cap doesn’t come easily.”

Shardul Thakur’s stunning rise

Just one word, incredible! Shardul Thakur’s IPL 2025 journey is nothing but an amazing story. After going unsold initially, he was picked by LSG as a replacement for the injured Mohsin Khan. And now, what he’s doing is nothing short of top performances. Thakur’s displays against Delhi Capitals and SRH were crucial to LSG’s success. His ability to provide crucial wickets at critical moments has made him a valuable asset for the team. His economy rate and consistent wicket-taking ability have made him one of the standout bowlers of IPL 2025. And, as everyone knows, he can also score some runs with the bat.