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South African batter Aiden Markram has opened up about his experience with the Super Giants franchises and his special bond with the owner, Sanjiv Goenka. He shared how the atmosphere inside the teams has always made him feel relaxed despite the huge pressure that comes with franchise cricket.
Markram is now an important part of the Super Giants family across different leagues. After joining Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, he also became part of Durban Super Giants in SA20 and Manchester Super Giants in The Hundred.
Aiden Markram opens up on special bond with Sanjiv Goenka
Over time, he has built a strong connection with the entire setup. Markram is also the captain of the Manchester Super Giants in England’s The Hundred Competition and the Durban Super Giants in SA20.
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However, Rishabh Pant was picked for the IPL captaincy over the South African star, and two seasons were a complete disaster. They finished the IPL 2026 season at the bottom rank with 8 points.
After LSG’s poor IPL 2026 campaign, Aiden Markram said he feels lucky to be part of the RPSG franchise group. He revealed that he has had many positive conversations with Sanjiv Goenka about cricket, team culture, and creating a healthy environment where players can truly enjoy themselves.
I feel very lucky: Aiden Markram on part of RPSG Group
The South African batter explained that franchise cricket naturally brings pressure because every player wants to perform well and make the team proud, but the relaxed nature of Goenka makes things much easier for players mentally.
He admitted that in many teams, players can sometimes feel the burden of expectations very heavily. However, the Proteas batter said that he never experienced that uncomfortable pressure with the Super Giants setup despite knowing how much the franchise wants success.
Aiden Markram said on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, “Firstly, I feel very lucky. We’ve had some really nice conversations about the game and about creating a good environment where people can enjoy their time when they are part of the family. He is very relaxed, which I really enjoy. I think, as a player, you can often feel a lot of pressure and expectations on your shoulders while representing a franchise. But when I speak with him, I don’t feel that same kind of heaviness, and that’s really nice.”
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Aiden Markram reveals why expectations never felt heavy under Sanjiv Goenka
Markram also shared that the players understand the kind of opportunities the franchise owners have provided them across different tournaments around the world. Because of that, the players always feel motivated to give their best for the team, but without carrying fear or stress.
The Proteas star added, “Obviously, they've made all of this possible for us guys that are part of the Lucknow or the Super Giants family. So, there's a lot to play for, but at least it doesn't feel heavy, and that weight of expectation doesn't feel bad.”
Markram also noted that playing for the same franchise group in different leagues feels special because it helps him understand the management better and build strong relationships with the team over time.
