Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi has reignited an old‑guard feud by taking a harsh swipe at Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka, calling him a “clown” and accusing him of “memory loss” over comments on IPL franchise valuations and the role of Jay Shah. The backlash stems from a viral social‑media video and a series of public remarks by Goenka that many inside cricket circles read as downplaying Modi’s foundational contribution to the league’s architecture.
Where the row started
The controversy erupted after Goenka appeared to credit the explosive rise in IPL franchise valuations—exemplified by record‑breaking sales of Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore—to the stewardship of BCCI leadership, especially Jay Shah, with little or no mention of the original 2008‑era IPL architects. Lalit Modi, who conceived and launched the IPL in 2008, responded sharply on X (formerly Twitter), accusing Goenka of “zero knowledge” and an “inflated ego,” and labeling him a clown while adding that he wished Sanjiv’s brother Harsh Goenka owned the franchise instead, calling the latter a “true cricket fan.”
Broader drama with Pant and on‑field conduct
The spat has now overlapped with another viral clip showing Goenka animatedly “motivating” (or, critics say, scolding) Rishabh Pant after a poor LSG outing, which Modi then used to criticise IPL owners publicly berating their captains. The combined narrative—of a league‑builder feeling erased versus an owner‑billionaire openly expressing opinions on governance and performance—has turned the clash into a symbolic face‑off between the old‑school IPL architects and the modern commercial‑owner class, with fans and analysts split over where credit for the league’s success really belongs.
