Virat Kohli has decided to take a very different swing, not on the pitch, but in the business world. The cricketer has ended his eight-year endorsement deal with Puma, walking away from a renewal offer reportedly worth Rs 300 crore. Instead, he’s chosen to invest in Agilitas Sports, a new Indian sportswear startup, and take an active role in shaping it.
This isn’t just a brand switch. It’s a clear sign that Kohli is thinking beyond endorsement fees and looking at long-term value, not just lending his name to a product, but building something of his own. Back in 2017, Kohli signed one of India sport’s most high-profile deals — an eight-year contract with Puma that reportedly brought in Rs 110 crore. It wasn’t just a traditional endorsement either. His brand, One8, was launched in partnership with Puma and went on to generate around Rs 250 crore in business, offering everything from athleisure to footwear under the ‘Puma One8’ label.
Now, with that deal concluded, Kohli is moving One8 out from under Puma’s umbrella and repositioning it as a standalone brand — this time with Agilitas as the platform. But the nature of the relationship is different. He’s not just promoting Agilitas; he’s investing in it.
Why Agilitas?
Agilitas is a young company, founded in 2023 by Abhishek Ganguly, the former Managing Director of Puma India and South-East Asia. The startup has already raised Rs 600 crore in funding from Convergent Finance and Nexus Venture Partners, and it recently acquired Mochiko Shoes, a major domestic sports footwear manufacturer. All of these points to a company that’s looking to move quickly, and perhaps globally.
Sources say Agilitas is now working on launching physical stores and building out One8 as a full-scale brand, with plans to expand into international markets like the US and UK.
Reading between the lines
There’s a shift happening here, not just in Kohli’s business playbook, but in how Indian celebrities are approaching their off-field careers. The traditional model — promote a brand, collect a fee — is giving way to deeper involvement, equity ownership, and co-creation.
Kohli’s decision seems to be driven by a desire for more control, more upside, and more identity in the businesses he associates with. It’s a model that echoes global athletes like Roger Federer, who became a stakeholder in Swiss footwear brand On rather than just another sponsored face. At a time when personal brands are more powerful than ever, Kohli appears to be betting on himself, not just as a cricketer, but as a long-term entrepreneur. For Kohli, the real win isn’t in fronting a brand, it’s in owning the scoreboard. This time, the game is equity.
(With inputs from PTI)