New Delhi, March 25 -- A consortium that comprises the Aditya Birla Group, the Times of India Group, David Blizter-led Bolt Ventures, and Blackstone on Tuesday acquired defending IPL champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for a whopping $1.78 billion (approximately Rs.16,600 crore).

This news comes as a big boost for RCB, who begin their IPL 2026 campaign on Saturday (28 March) with a home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). 

This deal makes RCB the costliest-ever franchise in IPL history. United Spirits, a subsidiary of British beverage company Diageo, confirmed the sale of RCB via a statement. 

By doing so, RCB surpassed Rajasthan Royals (RR), who had been acquired by a consortium led by US-based entrepreneur Kal S...