India's hottest young cricketer Virat Kohli is setting the world of brand endorsements alight. The Indian captain-in-the-making, whose exploits on the field, combined with his youth, good looks and never-say-die attitude, makes him a winner off the field too, has inked a Rs 10-crore per annum deal with German sports goods giant Adidas, says a report in The Times of India, adding that the Delhi lad has also struck a Rs 6.5 crore a year deal with a tyre brand that had master batsmen Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Waugh as its ambassadors, a person familiar with the development revealed.
“The two deals will see Kohli topping the likes of Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Tendulkar in terms of annual earnings per brand endorsement. Kohli, who turns 25 later this year, pocketed around Rs 40 crore from endorsements last year, but that sum may swell up substantially with these two deals in his kit bag. Currently, he lends his face to as many as 13 brands, including Pepsi, Toyota and Cinthol deodorants,” says the report.
“Kohli's annual endorsement fee has seen a meteoric rise over the past year, rivalling the likes of Bollywood heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor, the hottest brand ambassador in the film industry. Till last year, the cricket star used to command Rs 3 crore per brand annually, which went up to Rs 6 crore. The Rs 10-crore a year deal with Adidas propels him to a different league altogether,” says the TOI report.
Meanwhile a report in indiatody.in says, Virat's first stint as a full-series captain might not have been a trial by fire, but it has taken him a few notches up when it comes to being ready when the top-job is finally handed to him.
'I had always been keen to help MSD on the field,' Virat says. 'But to keep an eye on every field position for every ball of the match was new to me when playing for India. I needed that. I feel much more responsible now.'
'MSD gave me a lot of inputs in the tri-series against West Indies before the Zimbabwe tour when he was sitting out due to injury. He has the best view and knows a lot about all players. The first two matches I captained there were a little weird, but then it got better in the third match.' Those matches helped Virat immensely when he was finally on his own in Zimbabwe.
Today, the 24-year old feels much more confident about his prospects as a future captain, but he's not relying on the result of just one series.
'I can't judge myself on the basis of just one series. I am mentally stronger now but I would like to test myself further, in alien conditions, against tougher opponents. I really want to have the mental set-up to do it at the highest level.'
