Adar Poonawalla has shifted from speculative interest to a central figure in the unfolding battle for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, as the potential sale of one of the IPL’s most high-profile franchises draws increasing attention.
The Serum Institute of India CEO took to X on Thursday to confirm that he intends to pursue ownership of the defending men’s champions, a development that adds fresh momentum to the ongoing process initiated by current owners Diageo through its Indian subsidiary, United Spirits Ltd.
Over the next few months, will be putting in a STRONG and COMPETITIVE bid for @RCBTweets, one of the best teams in the IPL.
— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) January 22, 2026
Poonawalla publicly enters the RCB ownership race
Poonawalla’s announcement was direct, placing him among the first high-profile figures to openly state his interest since the franchise was put up for sale.
“Over the next few months, I will be putting in a STRONG and COMPETITIVE bid for @RCBTweets, one of the best teams in the IPL,” Poonawalla wrote in a post on X.
His Thursday post also built on an earlier message from October last year, when he had hinted that his interest would depend on the financial terms involved.
“At the right valuation, @RCBTweets is a great team,” Poonawalla posted on X in October last year.
At the right valuation, @RCBTweets is a great team…
— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) October 1, 2025
Why RCB is on the market and what Diageo has said
RCB’s ownership situation that has been under review since November last year, when Diageo began the process of assessing its investment in the franchise through United Spirits Ltd.
“The USL is initiating a strategic review of the investment in its wholly owned subsidiary, RCSPL. RCSPL’s business comprises ownership of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise team that participates in the men’s Indian Premier League (IPL) and Women’s Premier League (WPL) cricket tournaments hosted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) annually,” Diageo/United Spirits Ltd said in a disclosure to stock exchanges.
The formal process has also been clearly titled by the company in its filing.
“Strategic Review of the Investment in Royal Challengers Sports Pvt. Ltd. (RCSPL),” Diageo described in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.
While the sale process remains ongoing, Diageo has provided a timeline for when it expects the review to be completed.
“It is expected the process will conclude by March 31, 2026,” Diageo said in the disclosure.
RCB’s on-field success has boosted the franchise profile
RCB’s growing commercial appeal has been reinforced by recent success across both the men’s and women’s teams.
The men’s side finally secured its first IPL title in 2025, ending years of near-misses that included runner-up finishes in 2009, 2011, and 2016, and they now head into the next season as defending champions.
The women’s team delivered silverware even earlier, winning the WPL title in 2024, and they are currently on top of the points table in the 2026 WPL season.
From a record IPL purchase to a modern-day high-value asset
RCB has long been positioned as one of the league’s marquee franchises, both in popularity and in financial terms.
When the IPL was launched in 2008, the team was the second-most expensive franchise, bought for USD 111.6 million by Vijay Mallya’s UB Group. After Diageo took a controlling stake in United Spirits, the franchise came under the UK-based company’s control, before it became the sole owner in 2016.
RCB has also remained one of the tournament’s most followed teams over the years, with star names including Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, and Faf du Plessis representing the franchise.
Uncertainty remains over RCB’s home venue situation
While the franchise’s ownership future is now a major storyline, there is also ongoing uncertainty around operational planning for the next season.
There is still no clarity on where RCB will play their home games in IPL 2026, with the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru not yet confirmed following the fallout from the stampede outside the venue that killed 11 people during RCB’s victory celebrations last June.
