Indian Premier League (IPL) founder Lalit Modi has doubled down on his criticism of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka.
You are a poison to the game and its integrity: IPL founder Lalit Modi on Sanjiv Goenka
Lalit Modi took to his X account after videos emerged of an animated discussion among Goenka, LSG captain Rishabh Pant, and the coaching staff of Justin Langer and Tom Moody, following the franchise's IPL 2026 opener loss to Delhi Capitals on April 1.
Modi said he was “embarrassed” by Goenka’s conduct and that if he “was still chairman and commissioner I would have banned him immediately and made him forfeit his ownership of the team forever.”
He added: "A material breach committed by Sanjiv Goenka which cannot be undone. Only way out is he is banned from cricket globally and the franchise is taken away from him."
Subsequently, he quoted Goenka’s tweet, where the LSG owner stated that he had “full confidence in our captain and the team to respond with strength,” and blamed him of bringing the IPL into disrepute. Modi also labelled Goenka as “toxic” and a “poison to the game”.
“I agree on one thing I agree with ONE STATEMENT YOU BOLDLY MAKE - the last sentence,” he posted. “You materially and consistently and concisely bring IPL into disrepute. You will be banned. For your sake resign. And stay out of the stadium. As you are poison to the game it’s integrity and its ecosystem its fans and importantly the PLAYERS. You are toxic. Stay in your factories. You are my brother in law. But game comes first. Not you.”
LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka has a history of on-field animated discussions with captains
This wasn’t the first time that Goenka was criticised for having on-field discussions with an LSG captain. An infamous chat with former skipper KL Rahul in 2024 had caught everyone’s attention, while he was also seen engaged in animated discussions with Pant on more than one occasion in IPL 2025.
LSG tried to clear the air by posting the “true story” behind the discussion, but some felt the video posted by the franchise and one that went viral weren’t the same.
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