RPSG Group secured a controlling stake in Manchester Originals after being outbid by a Californian tech consortium for the London Spirit franchise.<\/p>\n
“You’re never happy not to win any bid, but am I happy with the outcome, the way it’s gone for us? I’m very happy with it,” Goenka insisted.<\/p>\n
Owners of IPL teams have invested in four of the franchises, and despite the Originals’ impending rebrand, Goenka insists he is respectful of the host county’s heritage.<\/p>\n
“The very fact that we are partners with Lancashire, it’s a responsibility. It’s something that we are cognisant of and it’s something that we will do our best to deliver on,” he said.<\/p>\n
When asked if the team could benefit the county, he added: “The ownership is separate but I think the interests are common. We would like to work with Lancashire to see what we can do to develop cricket here. Until that happens, the Manchester Originals as a franchise will not grow significantly.<\/p>\n
“And what can we do, say, in five years, seven years, to have a bulk of the national team in England coming out of Manchester? So like today, you have a Jos Buttler or Phil Salt or a Josh Tongue. How could we get more and more players from here developing their competencies to the level where they are called [up] for national duty?”<\/p>\n
The absence of some England players from Hundred matches so soon after the conclusion of the thrilling drawn Test series against India has reinforced concerns over the impact the franchise tournament is having on the fixture calendar and player workload. A question asked has been whether greater planning is needed to ensure the biggest stars are available.<\/p>\n
“I don’t think The Hundred creates issues for the other formats,” said Goenka. “I think the cricket calendar is such that every league is back-to-back, that’s the way this game goes. I think players need to be fit enough to take that pressure.<\/p>\n
“If the players believe they cannot do justice to a format, then they should not make themselves available.”<\/p>\n