The Hundred: Focus is on preserving the legacy of Manchester, says Originals owner Sanjiv Goenka

LONDON: There are strong winds of change in English cricket, with Indian corporates acquiring ownership of franchises in The Hundred. While there are some concerns that these acquisitions could impact the culture of English cricket, the RPSG Group — owners of the Lucknow Super Giants and Durban Super Giants — is focused on preserving the heritage of Lancashire County as they head into The Hundred season with Manchester Originals.The first step towards this has been appointing local boy Phil Salt as the captain of the franchise. However, RPSG Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka claimed that Jos Buttler had declined the offer to lead the side, as he felt he was a better player when not captaining. “I had discussions with Jos. He said he will captain the side if I insist. But I felt it was not right to force him. Salt is a product of Lancashire and has been doing really well. So, it made more sense to appoint him the captain,” Goenka told TOI.Goenka emphasised that it was imperative to honour the heritage and history of clubs like Lancashire. “We are conscious of the legacies of these clubs. We have acquired other legacy brands earlier as well. We understand the importance of preserving the legacy and heritage — like we are careful about Mohun Bagan,” Goenka said.“The heritage helps in a big way. You get a ready-made fanbase. Manchester is a very renowned sports city in the UK. The culture is very strong. The stadium has a good capacity. We understand that we need to retain the advantage,” he said.Salt, too, highlighted the culture of the city and its loyal fan base. “To captain Manchester Originals — in the city where I grew up, where I first fell in love with the game — is more than just an honour. We’ve got a strong squad, a loyal fan base, and a lot of ambition. I can’t wait to get stuck in and make this city proud,” Salt told TOI.“I’ve walked into Old Trafford as a boy with wide eyes, and now I walk in with the responsibility to lead a group of world-class players. I’m also excited to begin this new chapter under the RPSG Group and Dr. Goenka’s visionary leadership,” he added.Many IPL franchise owners and Indian corporates have ventured into various T20 leagues across the world. But Goenka feels The Hundred is a bit different — although not too dissimilar from the regular T20 format. “It’s just 20 balls less with a few changes in how an over is bowled. It’s pretty similar to T20,” Goenka said.However, Goenka also said that he is looking to tap into the expertise of the Lancashire management and bring about commonality in management across different teams. “There will be a commonality in management with the coaching staff and the medical staff. It is said that Lancashire has the best medical team. We can use that in a bigger way,” Goenka remarked.