Sanjiv Goenka Reflects on LSG's 2025 Season and Future Aspirations

Goenka's Insights on LSG's Performance

Sanjiv Goenka, the owner of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), shared his thoughts on the team's underwhelming performance in the 2025 season, where they ended up in 7th place. He recalled advice from Gautam Gambhir during their inaugural season in 2022, which turned out to be a crucial lesson for the management last year.

Goenka openly admitted that the squad lacked the quality needed to compete for the title in 2025. He highlighted the impact of injuries to key bowlers, which significantly weakened their bowling attack. While individual brilliance from batsmen can secure wins, he emphasized that a team cannot reach the playoffs without a strong bowling unit.

Despite the setbacks, Goenka expressed optimism about the upcoming 2026 season, stating that they have learned from their mistakes and are now better equipped to compete. He mentioned, "Last year, our team wasn't in a position to make a serious bid. Honestly, with four of our bowlers injured, we could only rely on our batsmen for individual games. You can't win a tournament without bowlers. Gautam (Gambhir) warned me about this in our first year, and it proved to be true last year. However, we believe we have strengthened our batting depth and improved our bowling unit, combining experience with youth, pace, skill, and spin."

Goenka also noted the extensive efforts made in player development, fitness, and coaching, stating, "We have worked hard and made significant changes. Our coaching staff and fitness team are world-class, and we have seen improvements from where we started. I believe we are in a comfortable position now," he remarked during an interview with Sports Tak.

For context, Gambhir served as LSG's mentor during the 2022 and 2023 seasons before moving to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Under his guidance, LSG reached the playoffs in both seasons, but they have struggled to replicate that success since his departure.