Updated 26 March 2026 at 11:54 IST
Virat Kohli's RCB To Undergo Name Change After Huge 16,700 Crore Sale? Ananya Birla Provides Clarity After Mega Takeover
RCB have found a new owner after an Aditya Birla Group-led consortium bought the IPL 2025 champions for a whopping $1.78 billion (INR 16,700 crore).
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been sold for a whopping $1.78 billion (INR 16,700 crore) to a consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group. RCB's current owners, United Spirits Limited, released a statement stating their board of directors approved a 100% sale of the men's and women's teams of RCB in an all-cash transaction. The sale has made RCB the most valuable IPL and cricket franchise in the world currently.
Will RCB Be Renamed After Takeover?
Last year, Diageo, the parent company of USL, put the company up for sale, insisting cricket is a non-core area for them, and they intended to complete the sale process by March 31 this year. Aryaman Vikram Birla, who is a director at Aditya Birla Group, will now serve as the RCB chairman.
When some new ownership takes over a team, a potential name change of that team has generally emerged as one of the hot topics. But Ananya Birla has refuted all the rumours. Ananya, who happens to be the sister of Aryaman, reposted an Instagram post on her story, which clarified that RCB's name will not be changed.
An official announcement for the takeover is imminent.
Defending Champions CB Will Have A Tough Task To Cut Out
RCB will open their IPL campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28. The defending champions have retained their core and also added some shrewd names at the IPL auction. Virat Kohli will remain pivotal to RCB's plan, while Rajat Patidar has been given the charge once again after leading them to the coveted title last year.
There had been confusion regarding RCB's home venue, but the Karnataka State Cricket Association confirmed that the state government provided the necessary permission to stage home matches at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB will play five matches in Bengaluru, while the remaining two games will be staged in Raipur.
Published By : Anirban Sarkar
Published On: 26 March 2026 at 11:54 IST