In late November, Providence Stadium in Guyana witnessed a historic moment as Hampshire became the first English county cricket club to play under foreign ownership. This milestone was highlighted when Tom Prest’s offbreak from Mahedi Hasan helped Hampshire secure its place in cricket history.
Prest sported the logo of GMR Sports, a part of the Indian conglomerate GMR Group, which has become Hampshire’s majority shareholder. As Prest raced for a double, it went largely unnoticed that the match in Guyana’s Global Super League marked the beginning of a significant new chapter.
Just two months prior, Rod Bransgrove revealed the completion of his plans to sell his shares in Hampshire Sports and Leisure Holdings Limited. Although he received a congratulatory letter from then-prime minister Rishi Sunak upon stepping down as chairman of Hampshire Cricket in 2023, he will remain involved with the club until at least September 2026. Despite officially stepping back in October, GMR’s Kiran Kumar Grandhi has now taken over as the club’s majority shareholder. The £120 million deal signals a new phase of Indian investment in English cricket and suggests the decline of member-owned county clubs.
GMR solidified its presence on the south coast of the UK in February by acquiring complete ownership of Southern Brave for about £100 million ($133 million). Both Hampshire and Southern Brave are now integral parts of GMR’s expansive global cricket network, which includes teams like the Dubai Capitals and Seattle Orcas, along with the flagship Delhi Capitals, co-owned with JSW Sports. There are indications that further investments might come, potentially in the Caribbean and even Australia.
During his 25 years with the club, Rod Bransgrove has transformed Hampshire from a nearly bankrupt entity to a world-class cricket facility attracting major foreign investment.
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“We were basically insolvent”
Bransgrove humorously recounts his journey from being an enthusiastic middle-aged flyer to a tired old man as he sips coffee at Hampshire’s Rose Bowl. “It has consumed much more time and money than I anticipated. I became too engrossed to walk away,” he admits. October marks 25 years since he took over as chairman of a club that has undergone a remarkable transformation. Under his stewardship, Hampshire advanced from limited success at the small Northlands Road ground to thriving at a modern venue boasting extensive facilities.
