Virat Kohli bags Rs 100 crore deal with MRF: Reports

Courtesy: IANS

New Delhi: India skipper Virat Kohli is the most sought-after celebrity for brand endorsements in India. 

A few months back Kohli had penned a record 110-crore endorsement deal with sports lifestyle brand Puma.

Now, a report in The Economic Times has stated that the 28-year-old has renewed his bat sponsorship deal with MRF for eight years for a whopping amount of more than Rs 100 crore.

Bunty Sajdeh, CEO of Cornerstone Sport and Entertainment, the company that manages Kohli’s endorsements didn’t reveal the amount but confirmed that the player has indeed signed a contract for the extension.

"We have renewed the bat sponsorship deal with MRF for eight years. MRF was keen on having Kohli for a long term," Sajdeh told The Economic Times. 

"Today, brands are seeing value in securing long-term deals. We also want to show loyalty and commitment to them."

"And Kohli has got a great rapport with MRF and the money is phenomenal," he added.

The tyre manufacturing company sponsored now retired Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara in the past and are presently sponsoring the likes of Kohli and South Africa skipper AB De Villiers.

Kohli, who ended his six-year association with PepsiCo, has pledged to endorse products that he consumes or can relate to.

"If I myself won’t consume such things, I won’t urge others to consume it, just because I am getting money out of it,” said Kohli in an interview with CNN-IBN. "When I started my fitness turnaround, it was more of a lifestyle thing initially. If something goes away from that, I would not want to be a part of that or be promoting that."

Right now Kohli is leading Team India in the ICC Champions Trophy in England. 

The defending champions will take on Bangladesh in the second semi-final on Thursday.