"Kolkata was his eventual pick"- Lalit Modi names IPL team Shah Rukh Khan wanted to buy before KKR

Lalit Modi, the first chairman and League Commissioner of the Indian Premier League (IPL), recently disclosed that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) wasn't Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan's first-choice team ahead of the inaugural edition. He mentioned that the actor was keen to purchase a different franchise.

Speaking on Raj Shamani's podcast, Modi stated Shah Rukh was keen to own the Mumbai franchise. He suggested that the popular movie star later zeroed in on Kolkata after Reliance Industries Ltd. acquired the Mumbai team.

Modi said:

"His (Shah Rukh's) first choice was Mumbai, but Mukesh Ambani took that. Kolkata was his eventual pick. But Shah Rukh’s real contribution was in making cricket entertaining."

It is worth mentioning that Mumbai emerged as the most expensive franchise at the auction for team ownership in 2008, costing $111.90 million. Shah Rukh's Red Chillies Entertainment and Mehta Group won the bid for Kolkata at $75.09 million at the event.

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"He was the number one pillar for the IPL" - Lalit Modi on Shah Rukh Khan

In the aforementioned podcast, Lalit Modi mentioned that he and Shah Rukh Khan go back a long way as they went to the same school. He also hailed the 59-year-old as the number one pillar for IPL.

Sharing the story of how Shah Rukh came on board for the IPL, Modi said:

"Bollywood and cricket sell in this country. I have always been a part of the glamor. Shah Rukh Khan went to school with me; we are school friends. When I approached him for cricket, I didn't know much about it myself, but I told him, 'I just want you to be a part of it.'."

Shah Rukh has been one of the most passionate IPL team owners in the league's history. He has often been spotted cheering for his team from the stands. KKR's former captain and mentor Gautam Gambhir even picked Shah Rukh as the best owner he has worked with.

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