"No franchise owner has probably done what Nita Ambani has done" - LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka on Mumbai Indians' team-building approach
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka has lauded his Mumbai Indians (MI) counterpart Nita Ambani for her team-building approach. He added that he too wants to follow the same philosophy but hasn't succeeded thus far.
The Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with five titles apiece, are the joint-most successful teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL). MI are also known for grooming youngsters, with many of their relatively unknown acquisitions going on to represent India.
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.
Goenka noted that Mayank Yadav might not be able to play all 14 league games in IPL 2025 but LSG are investing in the speedster for the future. He added that the franchise's think tank believes Akash Deep will be the next bowler to shine in T20s.
"Play an aggressive, attacking, and winning brand of cricket" - Sanjiv Goenka on LSG's unaccomplished desire heading into IPL 2025
![LSG failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2024. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/12/78823-17331232762295-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra asked Sanjiv Goenka whether the Lucknow Super Giants will look to play a different brand of cricket in IPL 2025.
"We had only one desire in all three seasons but we couldn't accomplish that, and that was to play an aggressive, attacking, and winning brand of cricket. In that, we recognized that you would lose some games. When you are playing 14 games, you will definitely lose three or four. There is no doubt about that," he replied (17:00).
The RPSG Group chairperson expressed hope that LSG play aggressively, irrespective of the result.
"The point is very clear, the intention is that only, that you play to win. Winning or losing is a different matter, but that approach must be one of playing to win, and that is what I would like LSG to symbolize. So far we have not quite got there, but hopefully in the future we should be able to get there," Goenka observed.
LSG reached the playoffs in the 2022 and 2023 editions of the IPL before losing in the Eliminator both times. They finished seventh in IPL 2024, with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pipping them and two other teams to the final playoff berth on net run rate.