Shares of Vodafone Idea rose on Wednesday after reports that an Aditya Birla Group-led consortium has acquired the Royal Challengers Bengaluru franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for around ₹16,000 crore. The stock was trading at ₹9.12 on the NSE, up 2.7% from the previous close, as the development brought the spotlight back on promoter Kumar Mangalam Birla and his growing role in both corporate and sports ventures.
As part of the new ownership structure, Birla’s son Aryaman Birla has been appointed chairman of the franchise. The consortium acquiring RCB includes the Aditya Birla Group along with the Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures and Blackstone’s perpetual private equity strategy, marking a new chapter for one of the IPL’s most followed teams.
"Over the past two decades, the IPL has morphed to become a global sporting powerhouse that has changed the face of Indian cricket, creating enormous value for India. RCB, as one of the most compelling franchises in modern sport, offers the Aditya Birla Group a distinctive platform to extend its legacy of institution-building into the arena of global sport. We are delighted to become custodians of this asset and committed to further building this extraordinary legacy," Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman, Aditya Birla Group, said in a statement.
Aryaman Birla, the new chairman, thought it a privilege to preside over the growth of the franchise. "It is a privilege to come together in this partnership to shape the next phase of growth for RCB. This partnership brings together a deep understanding of sports, media and consumer businesses. Together, we will continue to Play Bold - on the pitch, in the community, and for the fans who make RCB what it is."
Aryaman Birla also has a background in professional cricket. He made his first-class debut for Madhya Pradesh against Odisha in November 2017 and went on to play nine matches, scoring 414 runs at an average of 27.6, including one century and a half-century. He also featured in List A cricket, making his debut against Hyderabad in September 2018, although his professional career was short-lived and he has not played competitively since January 2019. His experience also includes a stint with the Rajasthan Royals after being picked up for ₹30 lakh in the 2018 IPL mega auction. However, he did not feature in a match and was released ahead of the 2020 season.
The development has also renewed focus on Vodafone Idea’s promoter shareholding. As of December 2025, Kumar Mangalam Birla held a 0.02% stake in the telecom operator, representing around 1.94 crore shares, while the promoter group collectively owned 25.5% of the company. Earlier this year, Birla increased his personal holding by purchasing shares from the open market. Between January 30 and February 1, he acquired a total of 4.09 crore shares, including 2.21 crore shares at an average price of ₹10.95 and another 1.88 crore shares at ₹11.13.
RCB was among the eight original IPL franchises and was initially purchased by businessman Vijay Mallya through United Spirits for $111.6 million in 2008. Control of the franchise later passed to Diageo after it acquired United Spirits in 2016 following Mallya’s exit from India. The new ownership marks another significant transition for the high-profile franchise.