RCB Ownership Battle: Ranjan Pai, Nikhil Kamath Among Top Contenders, Says Report

If six companies were not enough, two more parties have expressed their interest in buying stakes in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a hot property in the market at the moment, especially with the franchise

being the defending champions of the Indian Premier League.

Among the prominent local names in contention are Bengaluru-based billionaires Nikhil Kamath, co-founder of discount brokerage Zerodha

 and Ranjan Pai, chairman of the Manipal Education and Medical Group.

Both being Kannadigas and wealthy, they possess the financial muscle to bid for a team valued at over a billion dollars. Any consortium looking to acquire RCB might prefer a local face to resonate with the franchise’s passionate fanbase and garner support from Bengaluru’s political and social circles.

While Diageo confirmed on November 5 that it had initiated the process to sell RCB, it was Adar Poonawalla’s X post on October 1 that first hinted that the Bengaluru franchise, anchored by star Indian batter Virat Kohli, was up for sale.

At the right valuation, @RCBTweets is a great team…

— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) October 1, 2025

Poonawalla, the CEO of the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, belongs to a family with an estimated net worth of over $20 billion, according to Forbes.

In its filing to the stock exchange, Diageo and USL stated that the disclosure was being made under Regulation 30 of SEBI’s Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements.

The statement also highlighted a key detail, noting that ‘the process is expected to conclude by March 31, 2026’.

As per The Times of India, a consortium featuring Kamath, Pai and Poonawalla might place a bid for the team. An email sent to Pai and messages to the former’s team did not elicit a response from the publication. As per Forbes, Pai has an estimated net worth of $2.8 billion, while Kamath is at $2.5 billion.

A 2022 Forbes report valued RCB at just over $1 billion, a figure from three years ago, before their championship victory this season. The franchise’s valuation is expected to be higher now.