Adar Poonawalla states intent to bid for RCB ownership

Serum Institute of India CEO says he will make a 'strong and competitive' bid

Adar Poonawalla, the CEO of the Serum Institute of India and chairman of the Poonawalla Fincorp, has expressed interest in buying Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

"Over the next few months, will be putting in a strong and competitive bid for RCB, one of the best teams in the IPL," Poonawalla posted on X on Thursday. In October last year, he had also said on X that "at the right price, RCB is a great team."

Poonawalla, 45, heads the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals company Serum Institute of India, which is the world's largest manufacturer of vaccines by volume.

In November last year, ESPNcricinfo had reported that Diageo, the multinational alcoholic beverage company that owns RCB had taken the first steps towards divesting its stake in the franchise.

In a filing with India's market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Diageo said it was conducting a "strategic review" of its investment in RCB through Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL) - the parent company that owns the men's and women's teams. The review is expected to be completed by March 31, 2026, the end of India's financial year.

Among the most popular IPL teams, RCB was the second most expensive franchise when the tournament was launched in 2008 - bought for USD 111.6 million.

The RCB men's team won its maiden IPL title in 2025 and will be looking to defend the championship this season. The RCB women's team won the WPL in 2024 and are currently on top of the points table in the 2026 WPL season.

There is still no clarity, however, on where RCB will play their home games in IPL 2026, with the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru not yet a certainty owing to the fallout of the stampede outside the venue that killed 11 people during RCB's victory celebrations last June.