Indian cricket sensation Virat Kohli has renewed his bat sponsorship contract with the tyre company MRF for eight years. And going by the sources, as cited in a report by The Economic Times, the deal is worth a whopping Rs 110 crore.
With strong and consistent performances on the field, the ODI and Test cricket captain has become one of India’s most popular youth icons.
While the renewal of the deal was confirmed by Bunty Sajdeh, CEO, Cornerstone Sport and Entertainment – the firm handling the cricketer's endorsements – he did not disclose the exact amount that was involved, except for mentioning that there was “a significant jump”.
He was quoted by The Economic Times as saying:
We have renewed the bat sponsorship deal with MRF for eight years. MRF was keen on securing Kohli for a long term. 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.Bunty Sajdeh
Notably, MRF is a company which has been associated with iconic players including Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Waugh and Brian Lara.
This contract renewal comes on the back of another high-profile deal that Kohli signed with Puma. However, the batsman did not extend his contract with Pepsico sometime back.
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