"We would have used the RTM for him had he been within 10 to 10.25 crore" - Sanjiv Goenka on LSG not using RTM for Marcus Stoinis in IPL 2025 auction
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka has disclosed they were interested in reacquiring Marcus Stoinis in the IPL 2025 auction. However, he noted that the franchise couldn't use the Right To Match card for the Australian all-rounder as the bid price was beyond their budget.
LSG released Stoinis ahead of the IPL auction. The Punjab Kings (PBKS) outbid the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to acquire the seam-bowling all-rounder for ₹11 crore at the mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener asked Goenka about LSG's decision not to use the RTM card for Stoinis.
"Stoinis was definitely in our plans. We would have used the RTM for him had he been within 10 to 10.25 crores, but he went beyond. Yes, we would have definitely wanted Stoinis with us. We are disappointed that he is not, but this is the dynamic of any auction, now what to do?" he replied (15:25).
While acknowledging that Stoinis was one of the franchise's top performers in IPL 2024, Goenka noted that the team's interests had to be kept in mind.
"You cannot let your personal likes dictate what is best for the franchise. What is good for the franchise is good for the franchise. Stoinis is very good. He was our second-highest (third-highest) run-getter last season. He was not given that much bowling, but he was probably the most effective bowler after Mayank (Yadav)," he observed.
Stoinis amassed 388 runs at a strike rate of 147.52 in 14 innings in IPL 2024. He picked up four wickets at an economy rate of 9.00 in 14 overs last season.
"We had a limited purse remaining by then, and we had to pick Breetzke as well" - Sanjiv Goenka on LSG using RTM card for Shamar Joseph
![Shamar Joseph played only one game for LSG in IPL 2024. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/12/064a8-17331261249210-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra asked Sanjiv Goenka about the Lucknow Super Giants' decision to use the RTM card for Shamar Joseph.
"We had a limited purse remaining by then, and we had to pick (Matthew) Breetzke as well because we needed a fall-back opener. Matt has done very well for us in South Africa. We feel that the Lucknow kind of pitch may suit him and his kind of batting, and he is explosive when he gets going," he responded (14:05).
The RPSG group chairperson noted that Joseph was the best overseas seam-bowling option available for ₹75 lakh.
"We had two crores left. Shamar was at 75 lakhs. Matt was also at 75 lakhs and we had to take Yuvraj (Chaudhary), who was at 30 lakhs. So we could have taken a 75-lakh bowler only. We wanted an international pace bowler as a backup. Shamar looked best to us in the options we had for 75 lakhs," Goenka observed.
The Mumbai Indians (MI) made the initial bid of ₹75 lakh for Joseph. They opted not to raise the bid amount when LSG used the RTM card for the West Indies seamer.