Even after building the best bowling team in the IPL, your team didn't advance.
But we came in at number 10.
And this is the worst in LSG's career.
It will be the worst for anyone's career because there are only 10 teams. If you come in at number 10, it will be the worst.
There are 10 owners. Have you guys made a WhatsApp group?
No, I'm not in any WhatsApp group like that, but maybe a WhatsApp group has been made in which the Titans and we haven't been included yet.
Tell me, did you regret that Vaibhav could have gotten 1 crore, 2 crore, and you guys didn't take him?
Sold for 1 crore 10, thank you very much. Every team owner has this sorrow or will have it that Vaibhav Suryavanshi is not in their team.
Now the Rajasthan Royals own him. Lakshmi Mittal will never let Vaibhav Suryavanshi go anywhere in his life. And if he does, you will be sitting with both hands ready, saying 'brother'.
Not just me, many others are sitting too.
But the only bowler who has bowled maidens to him is Mohsin Khan.
So you consulted with Stiller. Lucknow is now lifting the trophy.
Apart from cricketers, the one who appears most on camera is Dr. Sanjiv. Once it happened that I was going to the bathroom. Fortunately, at that time Rishabh Pant got out. So they said, 'This is Sanjiv Goenka's disgust at Rishabh Pant getting out. I am very fond of him.' What do you like about Rishabh?
He can catch you from anywhere. He will play some prank.
In the auction, you guys also bluff, sir. That sometimes you deliberately increase the rate so that someone buys it. Their purse gets empty, and we will buy the next one. Like the Delhi owner is often accused of this, that he increases everyone's rate every time.
I won't say anything about anyone, but other people do this, it's a fact.
Did you ever feel that someone increased the rate and then you bought it?
And it also feels like I'm being made a fool of. But did you ever take a player in ego? Mohammed Shami came in a 10 crore cash trade. When you spent 10 crore on a 35-year-old bowler, many people were shocked. And Shami has this passion that I will prove everyone wrong and I will be successful.
Gautam Gambhir, because he was your team's mentor. It's a different matter that the fruit of what you built was reaped by KKR, and now he is the head coach of the Indian team. Did you try to stop him?
I tried, but his bond with KKR has always been close.
LSG was not your first team. Before this, in 2016, a team came, Rising Pune Supergiant. A team reached the final. When CSK and RR made a comeback, that team was removed.
They lost the final by one run on the last ball.
So for a year, there was no desire to even watch cricket.
Dhoni was also with you. Smith had become captain.
You ask this question to Mahi.
I am asking you, who is your favorite among Rohit, Virat, and MSD?
Prince Yadav had bowled, and Virat Kohli had told him. He told me how he bowled. Prince came and told me that he had learned from him. I was talking to Virat bhaiya, and he himself told me this.
See, when a person is not insecure, then he is happy with others' progress.
When all the rich people meet together, what do you guys talk about?
Do you get the playing 11 every day?
What was the most expensive mistake of your life, sir? And we are not talking about cricket.
What is the most expensive thing you did for yourself?
The reel you watched this morning, the old song playing in it, the money for that went to one person's house. The electricity bill for the bulb that lit up in Kolkata also went to that same house. In fact, the chips you ate, the mall you walked in, the magazine you read, the big creators you watch on YouTube, the company they are under, that is also one person. This is the same person who has immense love for cricket. So much love that he has teams in three countries. He is a Baniya from Kolkata whose grandfather taught him that a Baniya's mustache is downwards. And perhaps that's why this person bought the most expensive team in the world of cricket in one evening. For 7000 crore. More than 400 people get their salary from him, in which you can settle an entire town. Today, Dr. Sanjiv Goenka is sitting in front of us, and today we will not just talk about cricket. We will talk about things other than cricket. We will understand how a father divided the umpire? How many times does a billionaire show his horoscope on paper and in his heart? How much is his belief in religion? What businesses does he do? Why is there so much love for cricket? And there is a lot more that you will know about him today. Sanjay Goenka sir, thank you very much for giving your time.
Thank you, Shubhankar. I am privileged that you have got me on your show.
People say that Goenka sahab is the biggest icon of cricket. The biggest fan who appears most on TV.
Is this a blessing or is being under scrutiny dangerous? Because apart from cricketers, the one who appears most on camera is Dr. Sanjiv Goenka.
See, when I am in the stadium, I don't watch TV. So I don't know how many times they show me.
In the beginning, when this discussion happened that you were seen on TV, it felt good.
But as time goes on, they say that once it happened that I was going to the bathroom. Fortunately, at that time Rishabh Pant got out. So they said, 'This is Sanjiv Goenka's disgust at Rishabh Pant getting out.' I can't understand that thing. A normal reaction.
You can't do it. A normal action is given a different twist.
But people know, recognize.
They give love, they give respect.
I am grateful for this. I am thankful for this.
So this is a plus, and a minus too.
When Kavya Maran or Preity Zinta go viral, they are beautiful. The camera often goes to female owners. Male owners don't get that many cameras. So did any of your fellow owners ever say to someone from another team, 'Yaar, Goenka sahab, why do you show up so much? We are also owners. We have also bought a team.'
I won't discuss much about that.
Did you ever laugh at a meme? Because the people who are loved, in Gen Z's generation, many memes are made of them. Like nowadays Ravi Kishan is viral. He is viral everywhere. Was there ever a meme that made you laugh happily?
I have laughed at many memes.
See, this world of memes is such that most of it is negative. Less positive.
I am not familiar with this world. I am getting familiar.
When it's negative, in the beginning it felt strange. Now gradually it has come to indifference.
Now it's possible that by next year I will start laughing more at those memes.
But too much limelight, when it first comes to someone, sir, because you have always been famous, but cricket is something that always goes globally on camera. As you said, memes are negative and positive. Does it bother mental health? And how do you control it? Because nowadays every person is facing this.
It used to bother more earlier, now it bothers less.
I don't even watch so many memes.
But still, you watch them.
Gradually, I am trying to become thick-skinned.
Love is not easy, sir. Even if it's with cricket.
Love is not easy, but the love you have for your wife is easy.
I am sure after owning an IPL team, you must be realizing that the wife is easy to handle.
Is it tough to handle the wife or to handle the cricket team?
This question is on behalf of all the men of the country.
See, handling the wife is not easy either. Handling the cricket team is not easy either. Both are tough.
But it's been 45 years since my marriage. After 45 years, now I have adjusted or she has adjusted, I don't know. But we both have gotten used to each other.
Beautiful. When was your first love for cricket, sir? First time, I mean, when did you realize that, like everyone in India loves cricket, but yours is a bit more. Which is also visible to us on camera. So where did this start? From Eden Gardens?
In 1971, I used to listen to the commentary of India vs Indies and Sunil Gavaskar's 750 or 800 run series. So I used to listen to that. After that, they were playing at Eden Gardens.
And watching, watching, watching, an attachment developed.
From attachment, it grew, grew, grew, and you came to Dhoni. And seeing Mahi, that passion developed.
It grew, grew, grew, and became a passion. It was an interest, which became a passion. Now after passion, it became a business.
So you also shared that Mahi is hitting, turn on the TV.
See, a brain like Mahi's. I have interacted with so many people, so many cricketers, so many common people. I have never seen a brain like that. Wow. Incredible. Clear. Cool. Collected. Definite. And yet a fantastic human being.
Goenka sahab likes boys from Bihar. Earlier it was Mahi sahab. Nowadays Goenka sahab praises Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
So Vaibhav Suryavanshi is worthy of praise.
This is generational talent.
Tell me, did you regret that Vaibhav could have gotten 1 crore, 2 crore, and you guys didn't take him?
Because of the amount of praise you give and what he has done, as a cricket fan, we think.
Every team owner has this sorrow or will have it that Vaibhav Suryavanshi is not in their team.
Now the Rajasthan Royals own him. Lakshmi Mittal will never let Vaibhav Suryavanshi go anywhere in his life. And if he does, you will be sitting with both hands ready, saying 'brother'.
Not just me, many others are sitting too.
But how much of a surprise is it? You have been watching cricket since '71. You mentioned Gavaskar sahab, that he made 700, 800 runs.
From there to today in 2026, Vaibhav wasn't even born then. Vaibhav was born after the IPL started.
Vaibhav's first public image is wearing a Rising Pune Supergiant jersey in our game.
Yes, absolutely. Absolutely.
And that boy is causing havoc in the world today.
He has caused havoc, absolutely. See, among all the cricketers you have seen.
What did you see different in Vaibhav?
After that, I will come to Lucknow Super Giants. The confidence. Talent is there, shots are there. Supreme confidence. Not overconfidence. That's the difference. This is a very fine line.
Yes, if you become overconfident, then that is the beginning of your downfall.
Vaibhav has the confidence that I can do this. And as much as I have seen, I haven't seen this closely, but what I have seen is improving with every game. True, his shots are perfect cricket shots. He is learning to temper himself a bit, and that will make him much more effective. But the best thing I love about Vaibhav is his clutch. He went to Sri Lanka, many matches flopped, couldn't win the super over, everyone questioned. In the final, he showed the difference in Sri Lanka. Under-19 World Cup didn't go well. In the final, he showed the difference. In the IPL, in the last two or three matches, he showed the difference. The clutch matches, the bigger the bowler, the bigger the name, where people get scared, get conscious, he is a big game player. And see, his career has been short. But the only bowler who has bowled maidens to him is Mohsin Khan.
Even after building the best bowling team in the IPL, your team didn't advance. Lucknow Super Giants, the team that made a place in the playoffs in the beginning. This year everything was good. After seeing the team, we, like cricket analysts, cricketers, commentators, were seeing you in the top four.
I was also seeing myself in the top four.
But we came in at number 10. Number 10.
And this is the worst in LSG's career. It will be the worst for anyone's career because there are only 10 teams. If you come in at number 10, it will be the worst.
But why was it bad? I mean, when Rishabh came to your team, you guys were planning. Everybody was confident, just like us. We were also thinking that maybe this team could lift many trophies in the next few years. You are an owner. You must have had an analysis of the whole year. Exactly, what do you think, how did such a bad season happen?
See, it's very difficult to say that there is one thing or one reason. We eventually have a very good team on paper. If it doesn't click, then that team doesn't do well. An average team on paper, if it clicks, then it does very well.
Honestly, we haven't yet sat with the coaches and done an analysis. The review is pending. We will do it after the 100s are over. After that, we will reach a decision on what happened, why it happened, what mistake we should not repeat. But our batting is also good. Bowling is also good. Last year our batting clicked, bowling flopped. This year our bowling clicked, batting flopped. So something needs to be reset. Now what to do? Tom Moody is there, Kane Williamson is there, Justin Langer is there. We need to talk to them. We need to do a review, and then after that, we will come to a decision on what to do.
There was a common perception, sir, that Goenka sahab spent a lot of money. All the good people, Tom Moody, Kane Williamson, Justin Langer, whatever you wanted, you got the number one team. They spent everything. Is there any one night after a single loss that disappointed you? Because from your side, there didn't seem to be any lack. Every big name was present in your team. From coaches to players, there was no lack from the owner's side.
See, this learning is that only names do not make a team. They can create a hype. But eventually, it is when you bond, when you vibe, and when every player has the same passion for winning, then you perform.
So now, exactly what it is, that the experts will tell.
No, I am asking, is there any one loss that disappointed you more that day? Many losses happened, but one remains in the heart, sir. What?
See, every loss disappoints. So now, to choose one is very difficult. But there was disappointment. We lost many games. We lost the most games, so there was disappointment.
What was the positive of this year? Like now your Prince is playing in the Indian team. Mohsin, again, like you said, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, no one in the world could decode him. He hit all the big bowlers. From Starc to Hazlewood, our Bumrah, he thrashed everyone. Only one Mohsin is there with whom he is in a column. In two matches, not a single one.
See, Mohsin bowled very well. Shami did very well. Prince did very well. Mayank's comeback after so many years. So our bowling unit was clicking.
I was very keen that Kuldeep should be in our team. Kuldeep is from Kanpur, so he should play for Lucknow, and if he doesn't play, it's not a good thing. Now next year, if Kuldeep plays for us, the bowling unit will look even more complete.
Yes, a spinner was a bit of a question in the mind.
We have started. Now already for the next season, we have started doing camps. Players who are available, we have started working hard with them. So these are all efforts, but at the end of the day, the decision has to be of the coaches.
No matter how much you talk, cricketing decisions will be taken by the coaches and captain.
Your view is more often than not, they negate it. So.
When we run a company, the managing director's decision is the final decision.
Whose job it is, that's how it is. In cricket, my experience says that when you have the best brains, the decisions are theirs.
But sir, a question comes to my mind. Many times these questions arise, like Tom Moody came from abroad. Justin Langer came from abroad. Kane Williamson came from abroad. In the IPL, the majority of kids are Indian. Is there an issue in gelling?
Because one doesn't know English. One doesn't understand Hindi. There is a cultural difference. There must be hesitation. That is there. So this is one of my learnings that international coaches cannot communicate so effectively with our Indian kids. They understand cricketing language. But beyond that, they don't understand. So this will have to be corrected going forward.
There is a bit of a difference between a loss and a disaster. You have been trying continuously for 5 years to reach the final. Every year you must have reviewed, analyzed. Made better plans. But this was a disaster. What different steps are taken in a disaster?
See, no one can react knee-jerk to anything. So going forward, you have to decide what you need to fix. So when this review happens with the coaches, then we will sit and make a decision that this is what we need to face. It could be something as simple as maybe communication to the players in Hindi. I don't know how to prejudge what the decision of that discussion will be. But after that discussion, clearly something needs to be reset.
So how will we do that, what will we do, what will happen, see, there is time for the auction, but we have started the training camps for our players.
Is there anyone in the auction in your sights?
See, I don't know who will come now, but there is hope.
Do you think that half the battle in the IPL is also of the auction?
There is a battle in the auction. You built a good team.
Like, we had a perception about RCB that RCB used to lose the auction too. Virat used to try alone. Now they have become strong in the auction, lifting the trophy continuously for two years.
See, when you win, everything looks good. When you lose, everything looks bad.
Today there are so many teams that look brilliant on paper. But every year their performance is not that brilliant. So sport is one thing where consistency is one thing, but permanent success is not guaranteed for anyone. In football, our team has won five trophies in 11 years. Gone to the final seven times. Gone to the playoffs nine times.
But still, last year AIFF tweaked the rule.
On that basis, we became the runner-up.
So there is no guarantee that you will win. You may have the best team. But one moment, you dropped a catch, or you took a great catch. One extra was given, you took a wicket. The whole map changes.
You should be in contention.
Losing is not wrong. Fight and lose.
So last year, we were not even in contention in many games. So that's why a serious discussion needs to be done on what we need to do.
Okay. Nice point. Sir, I had interviewed Aiden Markram. I went to the LSG camp, and people around me told me that Goenka sahab likes Markram a lot.
Someone quoted me a nickname that Goenka sahab is Markram Paglu because nowadays in the world of Insta, such things happen.
And now there are also news that Markram sahab might be the captain. I don't know, there are rumors. You can verify if you want. Or don't. Whatever news comes later, do it. People talk like this. Although you have Mitchell Marsh, you have Pooran. There are many great players again, but this Markram sahab is something. I mean, you like him as a player?
See, I like most of our players. Because when you own a team, you are like a parent. So if you have many children, you can't say that you like this child more or this child less. I can't say that. I am a journalist, so whispers keep coming. Markram, Markram, Markram from here and there.
Yes, so this discussion keeps going on. Today it's Markram's, tomorrow it will be Marsh's, the day after it will be Pooran's.
So someone tweets it. Someone puts it on social media.
But how does it feel that you have the captain of Australia, the captain of South Africa. I mean, two very big teams in world cricket. Both captains are with you, and they are lethal players. And that's why perhaps we were more shocked that why are we losing.
So therefore, the players and leaders are a means to an end, and they are not the end.
So if you don't win in the team.
Not becoming a champion is one thing.
Losing without a fight is another thing.
So our team was good or is good. But the coaches have to decode what did not go right. So this is a very intense discussion to be had with the coaches. Maybe they have already done it among themselves. In that, there are these three foreigners too. Bharat Arun is also there.
So now our batting coach Jaykishan is also with us, who is Sai Sudharsan's coach. So this is a matter of sitting and discussing, and what learning we have to take from it, we have to see.
How much time do you give to cricket? You have many businesses. From creator business to all the power generation and many endless businesses, of which I gave a little glimpse in the opening. Do you give the most time to cricket?
No, see, there are two things in cricket. One is the business of cricket. The other is the game of cricket. So I have almost watched every game of the IPL through and through.
So as a fan, then as an owner, then as a disappointed ex-owner, now once again as an owner, I watch almost every game of the IPL.
And there must be crores of people in the country who watch every game of the IPL, if not fully, largely.
True. So when you watch as a fan, it's a different thing. When you watch as an owner.
When your team plays, you are doing this in your mind that maybe if this was different, it would be better. Maybe if that was different, it would be better.
If this guy hit a tap and went to the boundary, maybe we will lose the game.
So in that, disappointment and excitement are both more.
At the same time, when a player like Mukul Chaudhary wins you a game with his own hands at Eden Gardens.
In my hometown, then it feels like.
And that kid then, with happiness, puts his head on your shoulder and cries.
At that time, it feels like it is so satisfying.
That your search has given a talent like this to cricket and has given so much happiness to his family. The talent is his, the hard work is his, but you have given the platform. So you are a medium. So from this, I get at least a lot of satisfaction. Today Prince is there, Mohsin is there. Today, for 5 years, Mohsin has been with us from the beginning.
You took great care of Mohsin, so I will acknowledge you separately. The news of Mohsin's hand being cut troubled everyone, that Mohsin was thinking of himself at that level. But the care you have taken of the players, Mayank played maybe four matches in two-three years. But you retained him continuously, that he was doing well in the Indian team. We are talking about Mohsin. Shami, there were so many emotions. You took him this year. So I think in the matter of taking care, the Lucknow owner should be praised.
At least in one matter, someone is praising.
No, but this is true. The way you took care of Mohsin, and Mohsin is a talent of that level, he could have been finished if you hadn't backed him.
You have to remove yourself from the pure profit and loss of the sport.
You get involved, and then you see that all these cricketers, kids.
They are all younger than my son.
When you connect with them, you see their struggle.
Potential is one side. Struggle is the other side, and most people's struggle is very intense. So you then see that if you can support a little.
Mayank's case was such that we knew for 2 years that he might not be able to play. Now he will play in the third year. Still, we backed him.
There is a hope that going forward, he will become one of the best bowlers.
But at the same time, a voice comes from within that if you have made this little contribution to someone's life.
Then in this, you will get blessings, and without blessings, you cannot get incredible prosperity in your life.
Do you believe in these things?
In people's prayers, in God's blessings.
A lot. I mean, a lot, a lot.
Is there any incident that increased this belief, if you want to mention it? There are many such incidents.
Especially, I have a very strong belief that.
There is only one place in the world where love, support, and criticism are unconditional, and that is parents.
Those whose parents are not there, ask us.
If you had spent a little more time.
This regret often remains.
What is it to have parents?
When they scold you, even in that, they think good of you for your improvement.
So it remains unconditional.
And parents are a place where if you supersede them, they are happier than you.
This is not anywhere else, no matter how close a friend, wife, children, relatives, brother, anyone.
When something good happened in my work or I got an award.
Then the happiness on my parents' faces or the tears in my mother's eyes.
What could be the value of that? Although I have kept a segment for parents, but still I will ask a question. One thing that you took from your father or mother and you are passing it on to your generations.
A lot of things, not just one thing, there are many.
Still, the one thing you would want to keep growing generation-wise.
From my father, one thing was religion. In our house.
A havan used to happen. 150 Brahmins, they used to call from Banaras.
Seven days from morning to evening.
11 or 21 fire pits were made, depending on which yajna it is, which god it is for, at what scale.
In our house, they started another tradition. Puja used to happen. There was always a temple in the house. Even today.
In fact, it's bigger than before.
But even a small child will have an idol of God in his house.
And he will go and offer a flower to God every day after bathing.
So a faith develops from childhood.
But like a poor man does puja. He has desires. You are an industrialist. You have a lot of money. Why do you do puja? Why are you instilling values of puja in children?
See, a man doesn't do puja for money. You also say in this that my progress should happen or I should get success, you ask God for that too.
But the biggest thing in a person's life is what? Peace.
Money is important, and if anyone says money is not important, they are a hypocrite.
If you don't get peace or tranquility, then what is the use of money?
And that path to peace comes from spirituality.
It comes from spirituality. It comes from faith. It comes from belief. When your difficult time comes, it is this belief or this faith that tells you that I will go to God's shelter.
Then I will get courage. I will get confidence that I can do this, and this serious cloud will also clear.
It is a security. If you don't have this belief that you can do it, then you won't do it. You will break.
No, but this is a very good thing. I would like you to tell a bit more about this because today's generation, many of them are disconnected from God. Many are disconnected. Many have also connected. But when a person like you says that I am teaching my small child that you go and start the day by offering even one flower to God. So this cultural thing to give to the generation, why do you think it is very important?
If you don't teach the children, how will they learn?
And if you force them, they will rebel.
