It’s a deja vu for Indian Premier League fans used to seeing Rising Pune Supergiants go about their business in the 2016 and 2017 editions of the league as Sanjiv Goenka, the owner of the RPSG group, has announced that the name of his latest franchise in the league will be Lucknow Super Giants.
The Lucknow franchise, one of the two new sides about to enter the league along with the one based in Ahmedabad, will be playing the IPL 2022 as Lucknow Super Giants. Goenka officially confirmed the news on January 24, stating that they have selected the name after taking suggestions from fans in a contest format.
“Hi, thank you so much for your overwhelming response to the #NaamBanaoNaamKamao contest. Lakhs and lakhs and lakhs of people responded. Based on that, we are very happy to chose the name of the Lucknow IPL team,”
he said in a video posted over Twitter via the official handle of the Lucknow IPL franchise.
“And the name we have chosen based on your recommendation is Lucknow Super Giants. Thank you so much for your response and your love and continue to give us your blessings in the future as well,”
he added in his message to the fans ahead of the league’s forthcoming edition.
The Lucknow franchise had opened their social media accounts and began interacting with the fans a while ago. In that, they also waited for suggestions from fans over Twitter, Instagram and Facebook before unveiling the name of the side.
Likely to be based at the newly-built stadium in Lucknow, the new franchise will now be called Lucknow Super Giants – obvious resemblance to the Rising Pune Super Giants, which was also owned by Goenka’s company.
The RPSG group bought the Lucknow franchise in October last year for a record-breaking sum of INR 7,090 crores, which they will be paying to the BCCI over the next ten years.
With the IPL expanding in matches, window and popularity, and firming its grip over cricket’s market and economics, Goenka is expecting to have a positive return on investment. But there are fears that it may not happen immediately given the jaw-dropping amount they are due to pay to the Indian board.
Apart from their team prize and naming, the Lucknow side has been in the news for their pre-auction draft signings as well. The Lucknow Super Giants will have India’s elegant opening batter KL Rahul as their captain after signing him for INR 17 crores. This makes the India international the joint-highest paid signing ever in the history of the Premier League.
The franchise have also brought in Australian allrounder Marcus Stoinis and uncapped Indian wristspinner Ravi Bishnoi to their ranks for sums of INR 9.2 crores and 4 crores, respectively.
Letting go a collective sum of INR 30.2 crores on Rahul, Stoinis and Bishnoi means that Lucknow now have a remaining purse of INR 59.4 crores for the much-awaited mega auction where they’ll look to construct their entire squad.
All three of Rahul, Stoinis and Bishnoi bring with them a wealth of IPL experience and the ability to cover up some of the bases. While Rahul is a solid anchor at the top of the order and also a handy wicketkeeper, Stoinis is a fast-bowling all-rounder who can blaze his willow to all parts in the end-overs. Bishnoi, on his part, has emerged as one of IPL’s brightest young talents with his unorthodox wristspin over the last couple of years.
The IPL 2022 mega auction will be held in Bangalore on February 12 and 13. Reports are that the tournament will kick off on March 27, with the likelihood of a Mumbai bubble being used for matches amid the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
