JSW Sports, the sports arm of the JSW Group conglomerate, on Wednesday announced the inclusion of Rishabh Pant to its growing list of talents. Pant was earlier managed by Cornerstone Sport and Entertainment Pvt Ltd.
JSW signs Rishabh Pant
Pant is the first cricketer to join the talent management roster of the $13-billion JSW Group’s sports arm, which currently manages commercial interests of Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik and wrestling star Bajrang Punia, among others.
Pant, who was one of the architects of India’s historic three-wicket win over Australia in the fourth Test in Brisbane on Tuesday with an unbeaten 89, said he was looking forward to the association.
Pant will be the first cricketer managed by JSW Sports. The entity currently manages the commercial rights of top wrestling stars Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia.
As a sports management company, JSW Sports has been representing Olympic athletes for quite a few years now and managed to get a lot of brands for them, company director Parth Jindal said. “Over the years we’ve been able to build up the credibility of the established sports company in the marketplace and wanted to embark in cricket too,” he told ET.
“I have tremendous respect for the work they have been doing to promote sports in India and have seen their dedication towards helping create and sustain a sporting culture in India,” he said in a statement issued by JSW Sports.
Welcoming Pant to the organisation, Mustafa Ghouse, CEO of JSW Sports, said, “I think what the world has seen Rishabh do at 23 is just the tip of the iceberg.
“He truly is a special talent and we are confident that he has all the ingredients to become a global sporting icon.”
The multi-year association between the two parties will see JSW Sports manage the athlete’s image positioning and all his commercial engagements, including brand endorsements and appearances, social media monetisation, and business deals.
