Lucknow Super Giants named as one of two new IPL franchises

Owner Sanjiv Goenka confirmed the name based on recommendations submitted online by fans

Lucknow Super Giants will be the name for one of the two new Indian Premier League franchises.

Sanjiv Goenka, founder and chair of team owners RP Sanjiv Goenka group, confirmed the name in a social media video.

The decision comes after asking for recommendations to be submitted via the team's official website.

It will evoke memories of the Rising Pune Super Giants - who later altered their name to Rising Pune Supergiant - also owned by the RP Sanjiv Goenka group, who played in the 2016 and 2017 editions.

But Goenka has denied any link between the two teams, despite the similarity in name.

"The most popular and repeated name was a name that I quite liked," he said.

^{KL Rahul (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)}

"We have new business in the IPL and it is the aspiration of every franchise owner to win.

"We mean business, we're here to be serious about our business. Whether we succeed or not time will say but we're here to deliver."

KL Rahul was last week confirmed to captain the Lucknow team, with Ravi Bishnoi and Marcus Stoinis also signed up for their inaugural campaign.

An as-yet-unnamed side from Ahmedabad, owned by CVC Capitals, will make it 10 teams for the 15th edition of the IPL.

Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan and Shubman Gill are already signed up to play for them ahead of the mega auction on February 12-13.