Mohammad Kaif, a former Indian cricket player, offered his opinions on the latest rumors that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) would be changing ownership. According to reports, Diageo, through its subsidiary United Spirits Limited (USL), is considering selling the 2025 IPL champions.
Kaif thinks the ownership change won’t have an impact on the team’s performance on the field, especially after winning the championship, despite the rumors surrounding this event.
Diageo has acknowledged that it has started a strategic assessment of its investment in Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL), the company that owns the women’s Premier League (WPL) and men’s IPL clubs, in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). It is anticipated that the review will be finished by March 31, 2026.
This occurs at a time when Diageo’s international beverage business has been struggling. It’s interesting to note that the business called similar claims “speculative” and rejected any plans to sell the franchise only a few months prior. But things seem to have changed, as Diageo is now aggressively investigating a possible divestiture. Kaif, who played for RCB from 2011 to 2012, claimed on his YouTube channel that the team had at last struck the ideal balance after years of searching.
“RCB’s performance at the auction was, in my opinion, their strongest feature from the previous time. A new captain was appointed, and he got along well with Virat Kohli. The previous time, something that had never happened in the team’s history occurred. The bowlers had more influence over their championship win. Whether we discuss Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, or Krunal Pandya. The excellent form of Bhuvneshwar Kumar was demonstrated. Therefore, RCB has realized that they should invest the same amount of money on bowlers as they do in hitters, Kaif stated.
RCB’s bowling attack and auction strategy are praised by Kaif.
He gave the team credit for winning their first championship earlier this year because to their bowling attack and auction strategy. Kaif also disclosed that rather than relying solely on one or two players, RCB’s success was based on the contributions of the entire team.
“RCB has established a pattern where Tim David plays as a finisher and Kohli bats at the top, regardless of who takes over as owners. Phil Salt was thrown in, and both Salt and Kohli made strong beginnings. Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma aren’t very well-known, but Pandya has shown that he can win games with the bat. He did great with the ball, too,” he continued.
RCB’s cricket operations are unaffected by the ongoing takeover talks. With player retention lists expected to be confirmed by November 15, the team is presently getting ready for the 2026 campaign. At least until the transaction is finalized, any prospective new owner will have to collaborate with a team that was primarily assembled by the current management.
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