Star cricketer Virat Kohli is ready to join Sports Ethleist firm Agilitas as an investor, many people apprised the matter, with his eight -year contract Worthy nearby 110 million German sportswear is ending with veteran Puma. An announcement in this regard is likely to be held during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL).
Agilitas was founded in 2023 by Abhishek Ganguly, managing director of former Puma India and South-East Asia. The company makes sports goods and retails in India and abroad. Last year, Agilitas gained long -term license rights for Italian sports brand Lotto in India, Australia and South Africa.
Scaling One 8
In the heart of Kohli’s switch to Egylitas, his ambition to develop One8, his lifestyle brand launched in 2017. Agilitas will distribute and scale to the One8 brand by opening more stores and taking advantage of the popularity of the cricketer, people said on condition of anonymity.
“The brand will be an important part of Agilitas’s development story,” the person said on the condition of anonymity. “All this is about converting One8 into a global brand -splevier, sportswear. India is not a brand of aspirations. A new brand for One8 will be a new brand identity and relaxation,” the person said.
A Puma India spokesperson confirmed Kohli’s departure, wishing him “best wishes for his future efforts”. The brand stated that it was a wonderful relationship with him spread over many years, many excellent campaigns and path-breaking product collaboration. “As a sports brand, Puma will continue to actively invest in the next generation athletes and aggressively create the future of the sports ecosystem in India.”
Agilitas did not answer Mint’s email questions. Kohli did not respond to the text messages.
“Kohli went back with a proposal to maintain a puma cricketer, but he wants to form a global company from India,” the person said earlier.
Building for India
Last year there were several media reports that Kohli was scheduled to end his contract with Kohli. At that time, Puma refused these reports, and Kohli continued his relationship with the company during the final year of his contract.
However, since India’s successful Champions Trophy campaign, Kohli has seen sports shoes that do not tolerate Puma’s trademark “Formastrip”, which is found in three lanes from athletic tracks. Instead, Kohli’s on-field shoes now tolerate a placeholder logo with a triangle.
In global sports, wearing unburned or so -called generic shoes during a match or appearance between contracts for athletes is specific. This helps them to avoid conflict with the present or future sponsors and maintain neutrality by interacting on deals.
In 2021, Puma signed a long -term strategic partnership with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), franchise Kohli has represented since the inaugural edition of the league. A year later, Puma signed Bollywood actress and Kohli’s wife Anushka Sharma as a brand ambassador.
Ambitious startup
Agilitas Sports has raised the funds advised by convergence Finance LLP, under the leadership of an investment management and advisory Partnership Harsh Raghavan, who has invested 400 crores, and 30 crore has come from individual investors. In December 2023, the company receives money 100 crores from Nexus Venture Partners. In 2023, it also acquired Sports footwear manufacturer Mochaico Shoes Private. Ltd. to play more role in sports manufacturing ecosystem in India.