'Let them play freely': 1983 World Cup winner on Sanjiv Goenka's chats with Rishabh Pant after LSG matches

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Apr 2, 2025, 17:32 IST

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1983 World Cup winner Madan Lal urged for less pressure on cricketers following LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka's conversation with Rishabh Pant after their IPL 2025 defeat to PBKS. This incident follows a confrontation with KL Rahul last year. Pant admitted his team was short of 25 runs on the track.

'Let them play freely': 1983 World Cup winner on Sanjiv Goenka's chats with Rishabh Pant after LSG matches

Rishabh Pant has copped criticism for his start in IPL 2025, after being bought for Rs 27 crore in the mega auction by LSG.

Former Indian cricketer and 1983 World Cup winner Madan Lal has commented on the visuals that went viral after Lucknow Super Giants lost to Punjab Kings in IPL 2025 on Tuesday. In the images that did the rounds, LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka had a chat with captain Rishabh Pant following their defeat. It drew parallels to a similar interaction between Goenka and former LSG captain KL Rahul last year.
The viral images showed Goenka engaging in what appeared to be a lengthy discussion with Pant after the match. This wasn't the first such instance, as Goenka had the same with Pant after their opening game against Delhi Capitals. That, too, was a losing cause.
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Madan Lal emphasised the importance of allowing players to perform without pressure. "I don't know the discussion between Rishab and Mr Sanjiv's Goenka. All this can happen inside. Let boys enjoy the game let them play freely.20/20 cricket very unpredictable," he wrote on X.

Pant, who was acquired by Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 27 crore, appeared visibly disappointed after the loss to Punjab Kings.
"It was not enough, we were 20-25 runs short. That is part and parcel of the game - our first home game, so still assessing the conditions. We were not good enough on the day," Pant admitted in his post-match comments.

Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don't miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.

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