Ganguly not involved with IPL Pune franchise: Sanjiv Goenka

When asked about the possibility of including the former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly in the management of his IPL venture, Mr. Goenka said he "may or may not be included."

Published : Dec 08, 2015 19:43 IST , Kolkata

Sourav Ganguly (left) and Sajiv Goenka (centre) co-owns the Indian Super League team, Atletico de Kolkata. Brazilian football legend Pele had visited the club this season.
Sourav Ganguly (left) and Sajiv Goenka (centre) co-owns the Indian Super League team, Atletico de Kolkata. Brazilian football legend Pele had visited the club this season.
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Sourav Ganguly (left) and Sajiv Goenka (centre) co-owns the Indian Super League team, Atletico de Kolkata. Brazilian football legend Pele had visited the club this season.

The experience in the business of sport has been outstanding, and that prompted the decision to bid for the Pune franchise in the IPL, said Sanjiv Goenka, whose RP Sanjiv Goenka Group of Companies acquired the new outfit on Tuesday. New Rising, the entity that won the right of the Pune franchise, will be a wholly owned subsidiary in Mr. Goenka’s group of companies.

“The experience with the business in sport has been outstanding, and that motivated me to go for the IPL bidding,” Mr. Goenka said after the names of the successful bidders were announced. Mr. Goenka has “I bid initially for the Kolkata franchise at the start of the IPL, but Shah Rukh Khan’s bid was marginally more than me,” he added

Mr. Goenka, who is one of the prime owners in the consortium that holds the rights of Atletico de Kolkata in the Indian Super League said his experience with football franchise gave him the confidence of making a foray in cricket.

“We took the opportunity when it came to us. Cricket is an established sport in the country while football is evolving. The challenges are different as they are two different sports,” Mr. Goenka said when asked about how he sought to replicate the success he had with the ISL franchise, which won the inaugural title while making it to the semifinals this season.

When asked about the possibility of including the former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly in the management of his IPL venture, Mr. Goenka said he “may or may not be included.”

Ganguly is a co-owner in the ATK franchise and his name justifiably cropped up when the city-based conglomerate owned by Mr. Goenka acquired an IPL franchise.

“We have not thought of anything right now. The process of forming the franchise management will start now. The core may or may not include the Atletico de Kolkata officials. I am not in a position to say anything now,” Mr. Goenka said.

Sourav Ganguly is the president of Cricket Association of Bengal, the member of the IPL governing council and is the chairman of the technical committee of Board of Control for Cricket in India. Having so many important administrative profiles in cricket, the ‘conflict of interest’ rule of the board may come in the way of Ganguly’s possible involvement with the unnamed Pune franchise.

Mr. Goenka also remained vague on the possibility of getting the services of the Indian limited-overs captain M.S. Dhoni.

“He is a great cricketer and a leader, that is all I can say about him. We are yet to formulate any plans about the team. It will be done by professionals who will be in the management of the franchise,” he said.

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