Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka is again in the news for wrong reasons. This time, his conversation with team captain Rishabh Pant and head coach Justin Langer has been slammed by cricket fans while former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has called for an immediate ban on Goenka.

On Wednesday (April 1), LSG lost to Delhi Capitals (DC) in their IPL 2026 opening match at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. After the game, the broadcaster showed footage of Goenka having a serious discussion with Pant and Langer and others.

The video showed Pant being animated.

LSG’s ‘unfiltered’ video

The video went viral and got a lot of attention on social media, with fans recalling a similar conversation between Goenka and LSG’s then captain KL Rahul in IPL 2024. At the time too, Goenka faced flak for the way he treated the skipper.

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Now again, Goenka is facing the heat from fans. To do damage control, LSG posted a video on their X (formerly Twitter) handle showing Goenka, Pant, Langer and others involved in a discussion.

Though, this time around, there are smiles. However, fans were quick to point out that this was shot in front of an empty stadium unlike the earlier footage which was just after the match, shown by the broadcaster.

LSG shared the 55-second clip with the caption, “Not everything you see is the true story, here’s the unfiltered post match vibes, when cameras don’t cut.”

But fans were not ready to accept this.

What fans said

“Shri Goyenka is trying to wash his sins by posting videos taken post the incident. When spat occurred there was crowd.

In This video there is no crowd which means Rishab Pant was called back to recreate the scene like Drishayam 2 Oct,” X posted a community note below the video stating that readers had added context.

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“They called Pant back from the hotel room to shoot this,” a user on X said.

“Damage control level: Expert. Called the whole squad back for reshoot? Respect the effort tho (sic),” another user said.

“LSG needs to pay 54 cr to Rishabh Pant.

27 cr for cricket. 27 cr for acting,” wrote another user.

Modi calls for ban on Goenka

Former England captain Michael Vaughan felt the conversation was not necessary just after one game in IPL 2026. “1 game into the Tournament .. No need for this .. (sic),” Vaughan said on X.

Lalit Modi, the former commissioner of IPL, hit out at Goenka and said if he was IPL chairman he would have banned him. Modi also called Goenka “joker” and “complete pompous clown”.

“I told you this guy @DrSanjivGoenka owner of @LucknowIPL is a complete looser and joker of the highest order – i am seriously embarrassed with his behaviour.

I created the @IPL for fans and players alike. Not for this to happen every time every year. If I was still Chairman and commissioner I would have BANNED him immediately and made him forfeit his ownership of the team for ever. He is a complete pompous clown. There is a clause in the franchise agreement for this exact issue. #bcci implement it – keep integrity above all – sucking up to powers that be is not the way to allow him to get away. Fans and players alike will remember (sic),” Modi said on X.