United Spirits shares are set to remain in focus today after billionaire vaccine entrepreneur Adar Poonawalla publicly confirmed plans to bid for Indian Premier League franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The development has intensified market speculation around a potential ownership change at RCB, one of the most valuable and widely followed teams in the Indian Premier League.
In a social media post on X, Poonawalla said a “strong and competitive” bid would be placed for the franchise in the coming months. While no financial details or timelines were disclosed, the public confirmation marks the first time the Serum Institute of India chief has openly expressed interest in acquiring an IPL team of this scale.
Adar Poonawalla currently leads Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine producer by volume. His entry into the RCB race signals a deeper push into consumer-facing and entertainment-driven assets, following his recent investment in Dharma Productions, the Bollywood studio led by Karan Johar.
The statement has added fresh momentum to long-running reports that global spirits major Diageo is exploring a partial or full sale of Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Diageo controls RCB through its Indian subsidiary United Spirits Limited, and media reports over the past year have suggested a potential valuation of close to $2 billion, or around ₹17,500 crore.
If a deal is concluded at those levels, it would rank among the largest franchise transactions in global sports history and could reset valuation benchmarks across the IPL ecosystem. RCB’s massive fan base, strong brand recall, and recent championship success have made it one of the most attractive assets in the league.