India skipper Virat Kohli, it seems, is making waves not only on the cricket field but also off it. The 28-year old dashing batsman has become the poster boy of Indian cricket due his unbelievable exploits with the willow. Not surprisingly, he is reaping the rewards for his remarkable consistency with the bat as he has become one of the most-sought after celebrities in this cricket crazy nation.
And the Indian cricket star is making sure to cash in on his huge popularity. According to a report in The Economic Times, he has raised his endorsement fee for advertising and brand promotion to Rs 5 crore per day for new clients. Kohli’s new fees has put him ahead of the other celebrities in the country and at par with celebrities across the globe. The Delhi-born cricketer previously charged between the bracket of Rs. 2.2 crore to Rs. 4 crore a day. The hike also comes at a time when Kohli and his team are busy negotiating a deal with Pepsi Co. for an extension but that has been stalled owing to the health concerns associated with colas.
Meanwhile, Cornerstone Sport, the agency that represents Kohli, is hoping for a positive deal with Pepsi.
“Virat is contracted with Pepsi until April 30. We are currently negotiating a contract extension with the Pepsi-Co team,” Bunty Sajdeh, Cornerstone Sport CEO, told the news outlet. “Pepsi has been one of our longest and most fruitful associations until now and hopefully we will collaborate with them for years to come.”
Pepsi had previously been in association with MS Dhoni for 11 years before that deal came to an end last summer. The former India captain was reportedly charging Rs 3-3.5 crore a day.
The news outlet further reported that two officials representing different brands endorsed by Kohli confirmed that the Rs 5 crore a day fees is more than what MS Dhoni charged in his heyday and is more than that of Bollywood actors Ranveer Singh and Ranbir Kapoor.
Last month, Kohli became the first Indian sportsperson to sign an eight-year deal with Puma. The right-handed batsman also endorses some big brands like Audi cars, MRF tyres, Tissot watches, Gionee phones, Boost milk drink, Colgate toothpaste.