The co-owners of the well-recognized IPL franchise Delhi Capitals, the GMR groups have now acquired the ownership of the Hampshire Cricket County club.
This is the first-ever time, that an international company, likely an Indian firm has bought a county cricket team, and with this, they have established a milestone in the history of the sport.
Hampshire Cricket Club, which was founded back in 1863, is one of the oldest clubs of English cricket. This development might not have an immediate impact on the ECB, though they have also given the idea of having the scope to privatise The Hundred.
The group, owned by Kiran Kumar Gandhi, has acquired a 100 per cent stake in Hampshire Sport and Leisure Holdings Limited, the company that acquires Hampshire Cricket. As a result of this, the Indian firm will also acquire the Southern Brave team, which also has Hampshire Sport as its parent company.
With a mega-auction approaching GMR will have a role to play for the Delhi Capitals
The Delhi Capitals, the IPL franchise, have been brought by the GMR as they replaced the Delhi Daredevils with the new side. The Capitals have performed very well since their arrival, as they have had many seemingly better seasons.
With them playing several playoff games and also the final in 2020 under captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting. However, after having some recent weak seasons and failing to make it to the playoffs despite the return of skipper Rishabh Pant,.
Ponting left his position in the Delhi Capitals camp and has also joined the Punjab Kings; hence, the Capitals are now looking for a new head coach. However, nothing specific has been said about the role of Shane Watson and James Hopes as the assistant as well as bowling coach.
However, Sourav Ganguly will continue in his role as the Capitals Director of Cricket, though they might still be in the hunt for their new mentor.
Also, some players who might be retained ahead of the IPL mega-auction, such as Rishabh Pant, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Tristian Stubbs, might be retained prior to the game. If considering the current form, Harry Brook might also be another option whom the Capitals might close in following his stunning form for England.
