In a dramatic moment following an intense IPL 2025 clash KL Rahul walked away from a potential interaction with Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka and his son Shashwat despite their attempt to congratulate him for his match-winning performance. The incident has since sparked a wave of reactions on social media overshadowing even his impressive unbeaten fifty against his former team.
The Delhi Capitals batter showcased his class at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday guiding his team to a dominant win. Rahul played a calculated innings scoring 57 not out from 42 balls as Delhi chased down 160 with 13 balls to spare. His efforts also saw him etch his name in IPL history as the fastest player to reach 5000 runs achieving the milestone in just 130 innings beating David Warner’s previous record.
Rahul’s familiarity with Lucknow conditions and his time with LSG in the past three IPL seasons clearly benefited his game. However his exit from the franchise had reportedly not been on ideal terms. After the match Sanjiv Goenka approached Rahul to commend his innings and extend a handshake. While Rahul did acknowledge the gesture with a brief handshake he chose not to engage in any conversation and swiftly walked away ignoring Shashwat Goenka who stood waiting.
Despite efforts from the father-son duo to stop him Rahul seemed firm in his decision not to interact. This act came after Goenka’s earlier remarks where he stressed the need to focus on players who prioritized team goals over personal achievements—a statement believed to be indirectly aimed at Rahul.
In a previous interview Rahul had addressed the matter by explaining that he wanted to move on and play in an environment that offered more freedom and less pressure. According to him the decision to part ways with LSG was made well in advance of any public comments from the management.
Meanwhile Delhi Capitals’ strong campaign continues to make headlines. With their sixth win of the season Delhi has now won six out of eight matches replicating a successful pattern seen in previous playoff-qualifying seasons. Their consistent performance includes wins over major teams and an impressive comeback after a narrow Super Over win against Rajasthan Royals. With another win over Lucknow Delhi has completed a double this season and now sits second on the IPL 2025 points table only trailing Gujarat Titans due to net run rate.
Delhi’s next fixture is against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on April 27 at their home ground where they aim to continue their winning momentum.
