New Delhi: KL Rahul’s recent interview has stirred quite a conversation online with many fans convinced the star batter took a subtle swipe at Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka. Rahul has captained LSG from 2022 to 2024 as he spoke candidly about the mental and physical toll of the IPL and social media was quick to interpret some of his comments as a reflection of his past experiences with the franchise.

Speaking to Jatin Sapru for Humans of Bombay, Rahul opened up about the exhausting nature of leading an IPL team. “At the end of IPL, I am more mentally and physically drained than after playing 10 months of international cricket,” he admitted. His words painted a picture of the immense pressures IPL captains face from constant scrutiny to high expectations from owners, coaches and fans alike.

Kl Rahul bashed Sanjiv Goenka and other franchise owners.

“who don’t know anything about cricket and slam the player irrespective of the fact that they play for their team. They are the international players and no one wants to lose a single game!” pic.twitter.com/b1JuiYcw68

— GillTheWill (@GillTheWill77)

Rahul highlighted the unique challenges of captaining a franchise side. “What I found hard as a captain in the IPL was the number of meetings that you needed to do, the number of reviews and the number of things you needed to explain at the ownership level. All of that is really energy-draining,” he said. He added that questions about team selection, performance and results often felt relentless unlike in the national team setup where coaches and selectors understand the nuances of the game.

“After a point, it almost feels like you’re being questioned as to why you made this change,” he said. “Why did Jatin play in the XI? Why did the opposition score 200 while we couldn’t even get 120? Why are their bowlers getting more spin?” Rahul pointed out that, in contrast, representing India provides an environment where the focus is on cricket itself rather than constant justification to people who may not fully grasp the sport.

Interestingly, Rahul was not retained by LSG ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Many Lucknow fans revisited that decision after hearing his interview, interpreting his remarks as shedding light on the dynamics behind the scenes.