Hampshire have confirmed the sale of a 53% stake in the county team to the GMR Group, co-owners of the Delhi Capitals in the IPL. In completing this historic move, Hampshire have become the first county to be owned by an overseas party, heralding a change in the makeup of English cricket in coming years.

Former Hampshire owner Rob Bransgrove confirmed the sale of his stake in the Hampshire team, having taken control of the Southampton-based team with the purchase of a majority stake in 2000. However, Bransgrove will remain as chairman of the team through to 2026.

“After a thorough selection process, we chose GGPL as our partners due to their shared values and commitment to our vision. We believe GGPL is the perfect organisation, with the right people, to build on our proud legacy,” commented Bransgrove in a press release.

“Becoming the first English cricket club to join an international cricket group will open exciting new opportunities as we embrace the globalisation of this great sport.”

GMR have owned the Delhi franchise in the IPL since the inaugural season in 2008, originally as the Delhi Daredevils, before a partnership agreement with the JSW Group in 2019 led to a rebrand of the team as Delhi Capitals.

Indian infrastructure giants GMR are expected to complete a 100% takeover of the Hampshire team in the next 24 months, as per ESPNcricinfo.

‘Our vision is to nurture the creation of future world champions…’

Kiran Kumar Grandhi, the corporate chairman of the GMR Group and notorious for his presence at the IPL auction, also commented in the press release: “With this acquisition, along with our investments in the US, Dubai, and India, GMR is focused on engaging and connecting with the global youth.”

“We are committed to financial prudence, value creation, and creating opportunities for young talent. Our vision is to transform sports into a platform that unites people and cultures, drives global excellence, and nurtures the creation of future world champions.”

GMR has already invested beyond the IPL with the Pretoria Capitals franchise in SA20, the Dubai Capitals in the ILT20, and the Seattle Orcas in the American Major League Cricket.

Hampshire will take possession of 51% of the Hundred franchise Southern Brave as the ECB provides control of the franchises to their counties, but GMR will need to purchase the remaining 49% at market value for that deal to go through, a stipulation put in place to avoid overseas investors gaining access to the Hundred on the cheap.

Hampshire play their cricket at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, named the Utilita Bowl for sponsorship reasons. It hosted its first Test match in 2011 and has since become one of the premier Test locations in England. It famously hosted the inaugural World Test Championship final in 2021, with a Hilton hotel built into the stadium.

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