In a record-breaking all-cash deal worth USD 1.78 billion (some Rs. 16,660 crore), a group of Indian and international business magnates acquired Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Tuesday, March 24. A historic takeover move that makes the deal one of the most costly franchise purchases in the game's history. The agreement was confirmed by United Spirits Limited (USL), which previously owned the Bengaluru franchise in both the IPL and WPL.
The new group of owners is an impressive team of capital and influence, with the Aditya Birla Group, the perpetual equity arm of Blackstone, BXPE, David Blitzer, Bolt Ventures, and the Times of India Group. This transaction is currently awaiting ratification by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and once ratified, the consortium will officially take over the franchise.
Aryaman Birla is appointed as chairman to lead the RCB, and this name brings back some memories of IPL fans. The name has been associated with the tournament for years and it is worth knowing the story behind it.
Who is Aryaman Birla? From promising cricketer to boardroom leader
As part of a major leadership change, Aryaman Birla has been named the chairman of RCB. Aryaman is the son of industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, and his career in cricket started way before the boardroom.
He left Mumbai at the tender age of 17 to move to Madhya Pradesh to seek more playing time, already having trained in England with the West Hampstead Cricket Club and under the tutelage of former Middlesex cricketer Paul Weekes through the London Schools Cricket Association. His potential was matched by his performance as he topped the run charts in the 2016 CK Nayudu Trophy with 602 runs at an amazing average of 75.25.
Aryaman Birla debuted with the Ranji Trophy in 2017 and played nine first-class matches, most recently in the 2018-19 season. His best came at Eden Gardens, where he made a determined maiden century against Bengal to enable Madhya Pradesh to secure a draw. In this stage, he shared the dressing room with existing RCB captain Rajat Patidar and star all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, who had just returned to the franchise outfit.
However, Aryaman Birla failed to show consistency in his two seasons despite being selected by the Rajasthan Royals in 2018. He retired from professional cricket in December 2019 due to an extreme level of anxiety about the sport.
His shift to business has equally been outstanding. Aryaman Birla holds an MBA (Honours) from Harvard Business School, a Master of Global Finance from Bayes Business School, and a Commerce degree from the University of Mumbai. He is currently a board member of the Aditya Birla Management Corporation and also holds directorships in the group, serving on the boards of Grasim Industries and Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail.
Seven years later, when he gives up playing the game, Aryaman Birla joins it once again, but as a decision-maker at the top of one of the most popular franchises in the IPL.
“It is a privilege to come together in this partnership to shape the next phase of growth for RCB,” he said in a statement. “Together, we will continue to Play Bold, on the pitch, in the community, and for the fans who make RCB what it is.”
Being part of the IPL team as a player in the past, Aryaman Birla is expected to lead RCB to new heights in the near future.
