Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have officially stepped back from the race to acquire a franchise in The Hundred. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan confirmed the decision to Cricbuzz, stating they are no longer pursuing ownership in the league.
This development leaves four IPL teams—Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Delhi Capitals—in the running.
“We’ve withdrawn and have formally notified the England and Wales Cricket Board about it,” Viswanathan told Cricbuzz on Monday. Cricbuzz had previously reported that CSK and Kolkata Knight Riders were unlikely to actively participate in the bidding process.
Later this week, the ECB is set to invite financial bids for franchises in the 100-ball tournament. The process is being designed so that if a bidder fails to secure a particular team, they will still have the opportunity to compete for one of the remaining franchises.
The eight teams available for purchase are Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Manchester Originals, Northern Superchargers, Oval Invincibles, Southern Brave, Trent Rockets, and Welsh Fire.
Reliance, Goenka, and Tech Consortium Eye London and Manchester Teams
According to sources, the Reliance Group (owners of Mumbai Indians), Sanjiv Goenka (owner of Lucknow Super Giants), and a consortium of tech entrepreneurs are leading contenders for the two London-based teams—London Spirit (MCC) and Oval Invincibles (Surrey)—as well as Manchester Originals.
The allocation of teams will depend on financial bids and negotiations with the ECB. The Sun Group, owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad, are vying for one of Trent Rockets (Nottinghamshire) or Northern Superchargers.
Birmingham City, now in the second tier, is reportedly interested in buying Birmingham Phoenix, but Warwickshire County is hesitant to sell its majority stake, leaving any new owner with a minority share. This situation might appeal to CVC Capital, a private equity firm known for preferring minority investments over full ownership.
Sanjay Govil, owner of Washington Freedom in MLC, is reportedly eyeing Welsh Fire or Trent Rockets, while the Glazers and GMR, who recently acquired Hampshire, are also in the running for teams like Southern Brave.
The final round of negotiations and bidding is expected to begin in the coming days, likely on Friday (January 31), with the process concluding in February. An official announcement of the new owners could follow soon after.
However, the new ownership arrangements are expected to take effect only from the 2026 season, as several months will be needed to finalize the necessary paperwork.
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