DC vs LSG IPL 2024: Will KL Rahul Play For Lucknow Super Giants After Public Reprimand by Owner Sanjiv Goenka?

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Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka's outburst at skipper KL Rahul following the thumping loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024 has sparked much debate among fans and several personalities connected to the game.

Fans and experts have come in support of Rahul as he did not deserve the "public reprimand" by the team owner, and any form of reaction could have happened behind closed doors rather than just after the match when the coverage was still on.

On May 8, Rahul and Co posted just 165 in their allotted 20 overs after opting to bat first at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, where run-scoring has not been very tough. Rahul scored a 33-ball 29, which already earned a lot of criticism.

In response, SRH openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma smashed their way to the target without any blemish, chasing down the target with 10.2 overs to spare and 10 wickets in hand.

Following the match, the losing skipper Rahul had said he was lost for words after seeing the explosive batting from the SRH openers and lauded the opening duo's six-hitting ability.

"I am lost for words. We have watched that kind of batting on TV. But this is unreal batting. Everything seemed to find the middle of the bat. Kudos to their skills. They have worked hard on their six-hitting skills," Rahul told the broadcasters after the match.

But what happened after that caught even more attention as video clip revealed a heated discussion between LSG's skipper Rahul and owner Goenka, prompting scrutiny from commentators and fans alike.

Commentators on Jio Cinema emphasized the need for discretion in such conversations, expressing concern over the public nature of the exchange. This also led to reaction on social media with fans asking Rahul to leave the franchise.

Leaving the franchise may happen, but LSG still have two more matches left to play and still stand a chance of making the playoffs should the results go their way. So, will Rahul feature for LSG in the upcoming matches?

Will KL Rahul play for Lucknow Super Giants after public reprimand from owner Sanjeev Goenka?

Speculations are rife that Rahul may step down as captain or perhaps he will do his duties for the remaining two games before leaving LSG. In either case, the India batter would look to answer with his bat and end things on a high.

As per reports, Rahul may play the remaining two matches, but whether he leads the side is still unclear. He may be used as an impact player like in one of the earlier matches this season with Nicholas Pooran leading the side.

Lance Klusener, the assistant coach at LSG, however, has downplayed any speculation about Rahul's future at the franchise. The former South African all-rounder said there has been "certainly no discussions around" the matter.

"I don't see any problem with some robust discussion between two cricket lovers. So for us, I guess it's just a storm in a teacup. We love a robust discussion. I think that's how teams get better. So, it's not a big thing for us," the South African said during the pre-match press conference.

If LSG manage to beat Delhi Capitals by a good margin at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday (May 14), they will go into their final league match of season against Mumbai Indians on Friday (May 17) with a good chance of sealing a playoff spot.

However, their qualification will depend on Chennai Super Kings' result against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday (May 18) as the defending champions possess a good Net Run Rate (NRR).