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Royal Challengers Bengaluru attracts six potential buyers as Diageo considers selling the IPL team, with interest from Adar Poonawalla.
Virat Kohli along with his teammates, celebrates with the trophy after winning IPL 2025 (Picture credit: AFP)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru is the hottest property in the market at the moment, with as many as six companies interested in buying the franchise, who are the defending champions of the Indian Premier League.
Bengaluru’s hunt for potential buyers has gathered pace, with as many as six interested parties waiting in the wings, if Diageo Great Britain, the team’s parent company, decides to sell, a move that Indian stakeholders remain uncertain about.
The general perception is that Diageo could still make a last-minute U-turn, even as reports suggest that multiple shareholders are uneasy about the company holding on to an IPL side, a business outside its core operations.
According to a Cricbuzz report, multiple Indian and American groups have held talks with Diageo’s management, including high-profile names like Serum Institute’s Adar Poonawalla and JSW Group’s Parth Jindal.
The Adani Group and a prominent Delhi-based business tycoon with interests across several sectors are eyeing the team as well. In addition to these four, two United States-based private equity firms are said to be exploring their options as well.
Ravi Jaipuria, chairperson of Varun Beverages, is also looking to buy the franchise. It is one of the largest bottling partners for PepsiCo’s soft drink brands outside the United States and Devyani International, which is India’s largest franchisee of Yum!
The Poonawalla family has long shown interest in IPL ownership. Adar’s father, Cyrus Poonawalla, had even bid for a franchise during the league’s 2010 expansion under Lalit Modi, though the teams went to Sahara and Rendezvous Sports.
Those Pune and Kochi franchises, however, did not last long. Adar sparked buzz with a post on X, saying, “At the right valuation, @RCBTweets is a great team…(sic).”
Reports suggest Poonawalla may partner with a United States-based investment firm for a potential bid.
The Jindal Group owns a 50% stake in the Delhi Capitals and would need to exit that team to make a serious bid for Bengaluru. The Adani Group’s interest in the IPL is no secret either; it missed out on acquiring the Ahmedabad team when the BCCI added two new franchises three years ago.
As per the report, Diageo has appointed two private banks, including Citi, to advise on the potential sale. However, it remains uncertain whether the deal will go through, as Diageo’s India arm isn’t in favour.
Multiple of its officials travelled to the United Kingdom to discuss the matter.
November 06, 2025, 23:15 IST
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