Cricket was always India’s religion. Now, it’s also its fastest-growing corporate sector. For the first time in history, five Indian Premier League franchises have made it onto the prestigious Hurun India 500 — a list of the country’s 500 most valuable non-state-owned companies. And leading the charge is not Mumbai Indians, not CSK, but the Kolkata Knight Riders.
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KKR Top the Business Table
The 2025 Burgundy Private Hurun India 500 has revealed how far the IPL has come, with five franchises finding a place among India’s 500 most valuable non-state-owned companies for the very first time — with a combined valuation of more than ₹71,000 crore.
KKR emerged as the highest-ranked franchise, placed 270th with a valuation of ₹20,850 crore. Chennai Super Kings followed closely at ₹19,550 crore, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru occupied third spot among IPL teams with a valuation of ₹16,700 crore. Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings completed the list at ₹15,700 crore and ₹14,050 crore respectively.
IPL Franchises on the Hurun India 500
| Hurun Rank | Franchise | Valuation (₹ Crore) |
|---|---|---|
| 270 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 20,850 |
| 285 | Chennai Super Kings | 19,550 |
| 330 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 16,700 |
| 343 | Rajasthan Royals | 15,700 |
| 390 | Punjab Kings | 14,050 |
| — | Combined Total | 86,850+ |
Why KKR Sits at the Top
Unlike most franchises, KKR isn’t just an IPL team anymore — the Knight Riders Group owns teams across multiple leagues, including CPL, MLC and ILT20, making KKR a global cricket brand. Co-owner Shah Rukh Khan is one of the biggest marketing assets in world sport.
The numbers also align closely with recent real-world valuations. RCB was recently acquired by the Birla Group-backed consortium for around ₹16,660 crore, while Rajasthan Royals fetched more than ₹15,000 crore in a deal led by steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal and Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla.
As Hurun India founder Anas Rahman Junaid summed it up perfectly: “Cricket is no longer just India’s sport; it is India’s business.”
For more IPL franchise news, valuation updates, and cricket business coverage, stay locked in at TechnoSports. Also check our complete IPL 2027 season preview and franchise tracker on TechnoSports. For official Hurun India rankings, visit the Hurun India official website.
The boundary rope and the boardroom have officially merged. And the IPL is only getting bigger.
