The Royal Challengers Bengaluru was sold to a consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group and Times Internet Limited for ₹16,660 crore, marking one of the biggest deals in franchise cricket.
With the change in ownership, Aryaman Vikram Birla has been appointed as the new chairman of RCB.
Who is Aryaman Birla?
Aryaman Birla is a former cricketer-turned-business leader who played domestic cricket for Madhya Pradesh. A left-handed batter, he made his Ranji Trophy debut in 2017 and went on to play nine first-class matches, scoring 414 runs, including a century against Bengal at the Eden Gardens. He also featured in List-A cricket before stepping away from the sport.
His cricket journey began with district trials in Madhya Pradesh in 2014, followed by a stint in England where he trained under former Middlesex cricketer Paul Weekes, representing West Hampstead Cricket Club and the London Schools Cricket Association. He later captained the Madhya Pradesh U-23 side, showcasing early leadership credentials.
Aryaman was picked by Rajasthan Royals in the 2018 IPL auction but did not feature in a match and was released ahead of the 2020 season. In 2019, he took an indefinite break from cricket, citing anxiety related to the sport, and has since transitioned fully into business.
Currently, Aryaman is a director at the Aditya Birla Group and holds an MBA with honours from Harvard Business School, a master’s in global finance from Bayes Business School, and a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of Mumbai. He plays a key role across the group’s businesses, including fashion, paints, and real estate.
He also serves on the board of the Aditya Birla Management Corporation and companies such as Grasim Industries and Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail. Additionally, he founded Aditya Birla New Age Hospitality and Aditya Birla Ventures, focusing on high-growth startups.
RCB’s new ownership structure
Apart from the Aditya Birla Group and Times Internet, the consortium includes Bolt Ventures and Blackstone’s BXPE strategy. The deal sees the exit of United Spirits Ltd, a subsidiary of Diageo plc, which previously owned the franchise.
RCB remains one of the most prominent teams in the Indian Premier League and, notably, the only franchise to simultaneously hold both IPL and Women’s Premier League titles.