&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "From RR Dugout to RCB Boardroom: Meet Aryaman Birla, the ex-cricketer now heading a $1.8bn IPL franchise")
Aryaman Birla is the new chairman of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise, following its record-breaking $1.8 billion sale to Aditya Birla Group-led consortium on Tuesday (Mar 24), making it the most expensive franchise sale in cricket history. But who is Aryaman Birla? And why is his story from the Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) dressing room to RCB’s boardroom the most fascinating in Indian cricket?
Who is Aryaman Birla?
Aryaman Birla’s story isn’t the next-door one; instead, it's inspiring. Son of Kumar Mangalam Birla, one of the world's wealthiest industrialists, Aryaman had everything available on a silver platter to take over; however, instead of taking the easy route, he decided to follow his passion for playing cricket and moved away from his home in Mumbai to Madhya Pradesh at 17 to explore avenues of his own.
A talented left-handed batter, Aryaman wanted to make a name for himself without using his famous surname, which he eventually did. After making his Ranji Trophy debut in 2017, the opening batter scored his maiden First-Class hundred, a gritty unbeaten 103 against Bengal at the iconic Eden Gardens in 2018.
IPL stint
The same year, Rajasthan Royals picked him for the upcoming IPL season, with Aryaman sharing the dressing room with cricket giants, including England greats Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler. He was with the franchise for two seasons (IPL 2018, 2019) but didn’t get a game before taking a sabbatical from the game in late 2019. At 22, Aryaman announced taking an indefinite break from the sport, citing ‘severe anxiety’ related to the game’s pressure.
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This move, however, was widely praised for bringing attention to mental well-being in a sport like cricket, especially in India.
Business leader and education
Between 2020 and 2025, Aryaman transitioned into the corporate world, even earning himself an MBA degree from the prestigious Harvard Business School. In the meantime, a once-aspiring cricketer took on the leadership roles within the Aditya Birla Group, mainly in Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail and the group's venture capital arm, Aditya Birla Ventures.
RCB Chairman
A year later, he returned to the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL), but this time as the chairman of the RCB franchise.
After successfully acquiring RCB’s stakes from United Spirits Limited (owned by Diageo, a British company) in collaboration with The Times of India Group, the US-based Bolt Ventures, and the global investment firm Blackstone, Aryaman reflected on this new journey.
"It is a privilege to come together in this partnership to shape the next phase of growth for RCB. This partnership brings together a deep understanding of sports, media and consumer businesses. Together, we will continue to Play Bold - on the pitch, in the community, and for the fans who make RCB what it is,” RCB’s new chairman, Aryaman, said.
