Off The Field

Images and Endorsements

In 2008, following his performance in the ICC Under-19 World Cup, Kohli approached sports agent Bunty Sajdeh of Cornerstone Sports and Entertainment. Sajdeh was impressed by Kohli’s leadership skills and attitude and saw potential in the young cricketer. After being recommended by Yuvraj Singh, Kohli was signed by Cornerstone Sports and Entertainment.

Over the years, Kohli's brand endorsement portfolio grew significantly. In 2013, it was reported that his endorsement value had reached ₹1 billion (US$12 million). By 2023, the value of his brand had risen to ₹1000 crore (US$120 million). His bat sponsorship deal with MRF is considered one of the most financially rewarding contracts in cricket history.

In 2017, Kohli entered an endorsement deal with Puma that spanned over eight years and was estimated to be worth around ₹1.1 billion (US$13 million). This deal made Kohli the first Indian athlete to sign a brand endorsement deal worth ₹100 crore (equivalent to ₹140 crore or US$17 million in 2023).

As of January 2023, Kohli was widely regarded as the most marketable cricketer, with an annual income of ₹165 crore (equivalent to ₹175 crore or US$21 million in 2023). Kohli is also the most followed Asian individual on the social media platform Instagram, with over 70 million followers. Reports suggest he can command a fee of ₹8.9 crore (₹9.4 crore or US$1.1 million in 2023) for each sponsored post on the platform.

Investments

ESPN ranked Kohli among the most famous athletes in the world. In 2014, an American valuation assessed Kohli’s brand value at $56.4 million, placing him fourth on the list of India’s most valuable celebrity brands. By October 2016, Duff & Phelps reported that Kohli's brand value had risen to $92 million, second only to Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan.

In 2017, Forbes recognized Kohli as the seventh "Most Valuable Brand among Athletes," with an estimated brand value of $14.5 million. By September of that year, Kohli had endorsement deals with 17 distinct brands and publicly declared that he would only endorse products he personally used and believed in.

The following year, he was listed in Time magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2019, Kohli was the only cricketer included in Forbes’ list of the “World’s 100 Highest-Paid Athletes.” He ranked 100th on the list, with estimated earnings of $25 million—$21 million from endorsements and the remainder from salary and tournament winnings.

Additionally, in March 2019, Kohli was appointed the brand ambassador of the mobile e-sports platform Mobile Premier League. His earning potential continued to rise, and in 2020, he ranked 66th in Forbes’ compilation of the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes for the year, with an estimated income exceeding $26 million.

In April 2021, Vivo appointed Kohli as their brand ambassador ahead of the Indian Premier League.

In 2012, fashion magazine GQ recognized Kohli as one of the best-dressed men, featuring him in its annual list. Six years later, in 2018, a documentary highlighting Kohli’s cricket career was aired on the National Geographic Channel. The following year, ahead of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, Madame Tussauds in London unveiled a wax figure of Kohli.

In 2019, on the 11th anniversary of his international debut, Kohli was honored with a stand named after him at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi, making him the youngest cricketer to receive such recognition. That same November, an Indian animated superhero television series titled Super V premiered, portraying a fictional depiction of Kohli's teenage years and his discovery of superpowers.

Philanthropy

In 2013, Kohli established the Virat Kohli Foundation with a charitable mission to support underprivileged children. The foundation collaborates with a select group of NGOs to raise awareness and gather support for various causes that promote the welfare and well-being of disadvantaged children.

Kohli’s foundation has organized several charity events to raise funds for its causes, including football matches featuring Indian cricketers and Bollywood actors. One of the first celebrity football matches of this kind, in collaboration with Abhishek Bachchan’s charitable foundation, gained significant media attention and successfully raised funds. In that match, Kohli led the All Hearts FC against All Stars FC, captained by Abhishek Bachchan. Another charity football match, called Celebrity Clasico, was held in June 2016 in Mumbai, where Kohli again led All Hearts FC against All Stars FC, this time led by Ranbir Kapoor.

In 2016, the Virat Kohli Foundation partnered with Smile Foundation to promote the empowerment of underprivileged children and youth. To kick off this initiative, Kohli hosted a philanthropic dinner at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai, joined by fellow cricketers like MS Dhoni, Shikhar Dhawan, Yuvraj Singh, Ajinkya Rahane, and KL Rahul, all supporting the cause of youth empowerment. Kohli and the Indian cricket team, in collaboration with Anurag Thakur, also launched a cleanliness initiative at Eden Gardens in observance of Gandhi Jayanti 2016.

Before a match against Sri Lanka in the 2017 Champions Trophy, Kohli organized a benevolent gala event in London in support of the organization Justice and Care. The event aimed to raise both funds and awareness for the humanitarian causes championed by the organization, which works to combat human trafficking and modern-day slavery.

In 2017, Kohli launched the Athlete Development Program (ADP) as a platform to nurture and support aspiring young athletes. The initiative provides guidance in areas such as coaching, training, fitness, competition, and nutrition. Young sports personalities like tennis player Swastika Ghosh and golfer Aadil Bedi have benefited from the program.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma pledged donations to the PM CARES Fund and the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. Through his support of Awaaz, Kohli also seeks to provide extensive medical care, shelter, and sustenance to stray animals.

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