LSG vs. KL Rahul Controversy Explained – Fans Accuse Lucknow Franchise of Unnecessarily Targeting the Indian Batter

Despite losing the early wickets of KL Rahul, Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, and Axar Patel, DC successfully chased down the target against LSG.

LSG vs. KL Rahul Controversy Explained – Fans Accuse Lucknow Franchise of Unnecessarily Targeting the Indian Batter

LSG's social media handle mocked KL Rahul after his dismissal in a match between the franchise and DC. (via X)

In Short
  • KL Rahul's departure from Lucknow Super Giants followed a public fallout with the franchise's owner after a poor IPL 2024 season.
  • LSG faced backlash for mocking Rahul on social media after his golden duck, leading to accusations of disrespect from fans.
  • Delhi Capitals responded to LSG's jibe with their own social media post, highlighting their recent success against the franchise.

KL Rahul’s relationship with his former IPL franchise, Lucknow Super Giants, seems to have reached a boiling point following a recent social media controversy. The wicket-keeper batter, who currently plays for Delhi Capitals, was mocked by LSG for getting out on a golden duck. 

LSG’s first captain, KL Rahul, however, does not share a cordial relationship with the franchise. He played for the team from 2022 to 2024, and even led LSG to the play-offs in his debut season as the captain of the side. Rahul remains the franchise’s highest run-getter, with 1,410 runs in 38 matches. A dismal 2024 IPL campaign and a public fallout with the team’s owner saw his stint come to an abrupt end.

After a devastating loss to SRH in IPL 2024, LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka was captured on camera having an animated on-field argument with Rahul. The incident was later cited as the reason behind the player’s decision to leave the franchise, and sign for Delhi Capitals in 2025. After scoring an unbeaten 57 runs against his former team last summer, Rahul returned to face LSG again last evening, but was dismissed off the first ball by Mohammed Shami. 

Shortly after the 33-year-old’s early dismissal, LSG posted a picture of an ‘empty’ staircase leading to the dressing room. It was a blatant reference to an earlier clip shared by the Capitals, which showed Rahul getting down the same stairs at the Ekana Stadium for practice. The Lucknow-based franchise trolled its former captain in a ‘disrespectful’ manner, with the ‘IYKYK’ (If You Know, You Know) caption implying that Rahul’s stay at the crease was as short as his walk down the stairs. 

However, the online exchange continued, after DC registered a six-wicket win in the end, thanks to a remarkable 119-run partnership between Sameer Rizvi (70 off 47) and Tristan Stubbs (39 off 32). The visitors hit back, using the same image of the empty staircase to share their recent dominance in the last five IPL meetings between the two sides. The Capitals ultimately had the last laugh, as they became the only team to win away from home this season.

Meanwhile, fans and former players lashed out at the LSG social media team for its ‘vicious’ criticism of KL Rahul. Many of them suggested that the franchise lacks ‘class’, arguing that he is entitled to respect despite having left the team. 

LSG’s social media handle under fire for ‘disrespectful’ post about ex-captain KL Rahul

The stage is all set with another IPL rivalry taking shape between LSG and DC. Both franchises, which are yet to win the IPL title, engaged in a bitter social media ‘jibe war’ after KL Rahul, who played for LSG until the 2024 season, was ridiculed by his former franchise. 

LSG slammed by fans for KL Rahul ridicule
Fans slammed LSG for ridiculing their former captain, KL Rahul. (via News 18)

Apart from the ‘empty’ staircase jibe that was aimed at Rahul after his dismissal, viral clips also showed LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka celebrating wildly. Several social media users were quick to claim that the billionaire’s reaction following Rahul’s wicket looked ‘personal’, rather than just a celebration, and hinted that his franchise might soon languish due to the pressure that he often exerts on his captains. 

On the staircase post, fans were quick to lash out at the LSG social media admin and his team, with many of them opining that this is the reason why the team has no ‘real’ supporters, and is the most disliked in the IPL. Some others hoped for LSG to finish at the bottom of the IPL table. One fan hilariously exclaimed that KL Rahul did not need to score runs to humiliate LSG, as his DC teammates extracted ‘revenge’.

Moreover, fans and social media users were also quick to point out the animated chat that the 65-year-old had with LSG’s current captain, Rishabh Pant, at the end of the clash in Lucknow. Many of them even suggested that it reminds them of a ‘deja-vu’ moment.

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