GMR Group Completes Hampshire Cricket Takeover

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-06-11

GMR Group has wrapped up its full acquisition of Hampshire Cricket. Rod Bransgrove, the man who steered the club for nearly 25 years, has stepped down from his last role. Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Chairman of GMR Sports, will take over as the new Chairman starting June 1, 2026. This marks a fresh chapter for one of England's most historic counties. ### Rod Bransgrove's Legacy Rod Bransgrove, 75, has officially left his final position at Hampshire after devoting a quarter-century to the club. He's widely credited with saving Hampshire from bankruptcy and pouring roughly $19 million into the county during his tenure. That's a huge amount of money, especially for a cricket club. One of his biggest moves was leading Hampshire away from Northlands Road in Southampton in 2000, their home for 116 years. He then developed what's now the Utilita Bowl into a world-class venue. Bransgrove stepped down as Hampshire chair in 2023 but held on as Group Chairman and majority shareholder of the club's parent company, Hampshire Sport & Leisure Holdings Limited. With GMR's acquisition complete, that final role is now over. He's been named Honorary Life President and will stay on the board as a director and advisor for the next three years. "This moment brings to a close a chapter that has meant more to me than words can express," Bransgrove said. "I have immense pride in what we have achieved here and unequivocal confidence that, under GMR's full ownership, the club and venue are in the safest of hands." ### GMR Group Takes Full Control GMR Group, an Indian infrastructure giant, first struck a deal to buy Hampshire with Bransgrove's help back in 2024. That agreement covered the club and its holdings, including the Utilita Bowl site in Southampton. In 2025, the group further strengthened its position in English cricket when it valued the Hampshire-based Hundred franchise, Southern Brave, at around $124 million during the ECB's equity sale. Now, with the acquisition fully done, GMR has complete ownership and operational control over both the cricket club and the venue. Kiran Kumar Grandhi, often described as the driving force behind GMR's push into sports, takes the chair with plenty of cricket admin experience. He's been overseeing GMR's management of Delhi Capitals (formerly Delhi Daredevils) in the IPL since the group bought that franchise. ### A Global Cricket Portfolio The Hampshire purchase adds to GMR's already impressive cricket lineup. Beyond the IPL, the group is involved with Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 and Seattle Orcas in Major League Cricket. That covers three of the world's most competitive T20 leagues, plus their English interests. Grandhi acknowledged Bransgrove's role in building Hampshire into what it is today, saying his leadership transformed both the club and the Utilita Bowl into a world-class sporting and leisure destination. ### What's Next? Hampshire's transition now moves forward fully under GMR's ownership, with Grandhi at the helm from the start of June 2026. It's the end of an era, but also the beginning of something new. The club has a solid foundation, and with GMR's resources, the future looks bright. For more cricket news and updates, follow along with the latest stories.