Langer reveals how LSG owner convinced him to take up coach job

Lucknow Super Giants roped in former Australian coach Justin Langer as their head coach before IPL 2024. The ex-Australian cricketer had taken some time off from the coaching role after finishing his stint with the national team. Langer has now opened up to Michael Clarke about how he landed the LSG coach job and the role played by owner Sanjiv Goenka.

How Goenka conviced Langer to become LSG coach

In a conversation with Clarke on Beyond 23 Cricket podcast, Langer revealed that he was approached by the LSG management during one of his trips to London. He labelled his 3-year break from coaching as his best phase as he was exploring opportunities outside cricket. However, a meeting was set up between LSG owner Goenka and Langer in London where the former convinced the latter to take up the role of head coach with a very cheeky dialogue.

“So I sit with Goenka and have this conversation. He’s a calm and nice person and is a very successful businessman. You know what he says in the end, the last words – ‘Justin I know you had a very successful coaching career. But let’s face it. You can’t classify yourself as a great coach until you win the IPL’,” Langer said.

“Goenka not involved in selection”

Langer further claimed that he had previosuly encountered perceptions that Goenka was involved in LSG’s team selection. He stated that his experience with the team prove that perception to quite the opposite. Langer further claimed that he had zero stress from the Goenka family.

LSG under Langer

LSG finished at the seventh position on the points table in IPL 2024, Following that season, the team decided to release skipper KL Rahul and instead buy Rishabh Pant for Rs 27 crore instead.

In IPL 2025, LSG have won 3 out of 5 games they have played so far. They are 5th on the points table currently.