The sports brand Puma has rejected the rumours regarding the report of Virat Kohli ending his partnership with the company.
Puma India Dismissed Reports of Ending Deal with Virat Kohli
The managing director of Puma India, Karthik Balagopalan confirmed in an official statement that Virat Kohli will continue to maintain his affiliation with the brand.
Earlier a report stated that Indian star batter Virat Kohli will end his 8-year deal with PUMA India and will join Agilitas Sports as its brand ambassador. The news started to spread like fire among the cricket community but the report was later rejected by the Managing Director of Puma India.
“PUMA’s relationship with Virat Kohli is long-standing and continues,” Balagopalan said in an official release.
Kohli’s association with Puma began with a whopping INR 110 crore deal in 2017; the brand has been one of the country’s leading sports and athleisure units.
“It’s a privilege to be part of a great list of athletes that Puma has. Not just today’s icons like Usain Bolt but also the brand’s rich history with Pele, Maradona, Thierry Henry, and others,” Virat Kohli said after signing the deal with Puma in February 2017.
Virat Kohli is set to be the new face of Agilitas Sports, a company founded by former managing director (MD) of Puma India Abhishek Ganguly. As per the report, Virat Kohli will not only endorse the products of the company but will also have stakes in Agilitas Sports.
Interestingly, Abhishek Ganguly was part of the Puma India team, when Virat Kohli came onboard with the brand. “Virat has transformed the way fitness is looked at in Indian cricket. He has emphasized the role of an athlete and reshaped cricket in the millennial culture, thus endorsing our brand ethos. He is a youth icon with an effortless style,” Ganguly said in 2017.
Abhishek Ganguly started Agilitas Sports in May 2023 and the company witnessed exponential growth in a few months. Recently, Agilitas Sports grabbed ₹100 crore funding from Nexus Venture which exemplifies its rising influence in the sports industry.
Currently, Indian star batter Virat Kohli who missed the first two tests of the England tour of India 2024 is expected to miss the upcoming tests at Rajkot and Ranchi.
The third Test of the series will be played between February 15 to 19 at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot.
CHECK: Where is Virat Kohli Now? – Current Update on Indian Cricketer
