New Delhi: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka praised Nita Ambani for her effective team-building approach, expressing his admiration for her philosophy. He acknowledged his desire to adopt a similar strategy but admitted he has yet to achieve the same level of success.
The Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) share the distinction of being the most successful teams in IPL history, each with five titles. MI, in particular, are renowned for nurturing young talent, with several of their lesser-known signings eventually earning a place in the Indian national team.
In a video shared on his YouTube Channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, The former India opener asked Goenka whether franchises think about Sponsorship while picking players.
“Rohit (Sharma), Virat (Kohli) and (MS) Dhoni are huge brands. Thus far, we didn’t have a single player in Lucknow who would attract the sponsors or advertisers a lot. Rishabh (Pant) definitely has the X-factor, but brands is one aspect. That is not really taken into consideration when you plan a team. You are planning a team so that you can win,” he responded (8:40).
“I really want to build a solid Indian core. When I look at Mumbai, I feel no franchise owner has probably done what Nita Ambani has done. I admire, respect, and want to follow them but I am unable to follow. However, solid Indian core, some we have thought about the next year, and some we have thought about the next two to four years,” Goenka added.
Sanjiv Goenka acknowledged that Mayank Yadav might not feature in all 14 league matches during IPL 2025 but emphasized that Lucknow Super Giants are investing in him with a long-term vision. He further stated that the franchise’s think tank sees Akash Deep as a standout bowler poised to excel in T20 cricket.
