Key Takeaways
India Premier League is the most watched tournament by millions of fans adoring the teams and their favorite player every year. Manoj Badale has been a key part of the success of the Royals, with investment seeing the side battling in the upper spots in the IPL recently. The person at the top of Dhoni’s beloved CSK is Narayanaswami Srinivasan. Srinivasan is an Indian businessman and industrialist who heads up India Cements. He is the majority stakeholder of the team. The Mumbai Indians are another of the most well-known and storied teams in the history of the IPL and its owner is one of the richest men in India, Mukesh Ambani.
The Indian Premier League is a global phenomenon that is loved the world over – in fact, the competition is the envy of the cricketing world.
Drawing the best batsman and bowlers in the game, the IPL has been able to elevate the Twenty20 game to a level that few thought possible, with the tournament watched by millions of adoring fans every year.
The competition has been so popular that England has even tried to create their new tournament in The Hundred , although the success of it is not on the same level as that of the IPL.
While cricket itself generates vast sums in India through betting sites and huge fan numbers, the competition would not be what it is without the teams and their owners. With the love of the game at the forefront of each team, all of the sides across IPL history have done everything they can to ensure that they are elevating the shortest format.
The IPL auction is increasing its players’ budget for years as shown in the graph below. Watching these auctions with IPL’s major stakeholders is also majorly enjoyed by IPL fans.
With this in mind, we have put together our list of the top three teams and their owners, taking a look at the people behind the best sides and what those teams bring to the competition each year.
Team – Rajasthan Royals Owners – Manoj Badale (majority stakeholder)
The Rajasthan Royals have always had an affinity with bringing some of the finest players in the game of cricket into the fold.
The likes of Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson Trent Boult, and Adam Zampa all played for the Royals in 2023, while Steve Smith, Jofra Archer, and Ben Stokes have worn their colors in the past.
The Royals have championed bringing in the finest talent for their fans to watch. Behind this bankrolling of the side is Manoj Badale, who owns the majority of the stake in the side.
Badale has been a key part of the success of the Royals, with investment seeing the side battling in the upper spots in the IPL recently. While the Royals have struggled for trophies of late, they are one of the most popular teams in the competition.
Badale will be desperate to see the Royals secure their first IPL crown since 2008, and it would be no surprise to see more investment as he looks to give his side the best possible chance of a triumph in 2024.
Team – Chennai Super Kings Owner – Narayanaswami Srinivasan
The Chennai Super Kings are quite possibly the most well-known side in the IPL, and they have enjoyed huge success in the competition, winning five titles, the joint-highest alongside the Mumbai Indians.
While CSK has championed bringing in the best, they are still best known for being the home of MS Dhoni. The wicket-keeper batsman may not be quite as influential with the bat anymore, but he is still a fine captain and a brilliant wicket-keeper.
The person at the top of Dhoni’s beloved CSK is Narayanaswami Srinivasan. Srinivasan is an Indian businessman and industrialist who heads up India Cements, while he previously headed up the ICC and BCCI.
India Cements bought CSK back in 2008 for around $91 million, and they have not looked back since. While Srinivasan’s involvement with the IPL, ICC, and BCCI all at once was something many questioned, he has been at the head of a hugely successful period in the rich history of CSK.
Do You Know: Narayanaswami Srinivasan was re-elected president of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association in the year 2016.
Team – Mumbai Indians Owner – Mukesh Ambani
The Mumbai Indians are another of the most well-known and storied teams in the history of the IPL. Alongside CSK, MI has secured the most IPL titles, with triumphs in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2020.
Rohit Sharma is the current captain of MI, with up-and-coming Australia star Cameron Green appearing alongside Chris Jordan, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jason Behrendorff. The current owner of the joint-most successful side of the IPL is Mukesh Ambani.
Ambani is the richest man in India, and he is the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries. Reliance Industries have their fingers in many pots, with dealings in pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, retail, and more alongside sport.
Ambani has been a key figure in ensuring that despite always enduring slow stars in the IPL, Mumbai almost always seems to come good in the latter stages.
