Star cricketer Virat Kohli is expected to join India’s fastest-growing sportswear startup Agilitas as an investor, as per multiple sources familiar with the development. The move comes after his eight-year, ₹110 crore deal with global giant Puma officially comes to an end.
An official announcement is likely during the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, adding to the buzz around the batter’s off-field moves.
Founded in 2023, Agilitas is a futuristic, vertically integrated athleisure brand focusing on high-tech manufacturing, cutting-edge R&D, and design labs. The company positions itself as agile and consumer-first — an ethos that could align well with Kohli’s dynamic and performance-driven image.
The shift raises a significant question: Why would Kohli move away from a global legacy brand like Puma, which had long positioned him at the heart of its India campaigns?
The answer could lie in a mix of personal branding evolution and strategic equity play. By investing in a homegrown brand like Agilitas, Kohli could be looking at greater control, long-term returns, and an opportunity to co-create a sporting legacy beyond being a mere endorser.
Kohli had previously featured alongside his wife, actress Anushka Sharma, in Puma’s campaigns — a move that solidified the brand’s positioning in the Indian market. But now, the cricketer’s decision to potentially back a new Indian player in the market could signal a shift in how top-tier celebrities engage with fashion and fitness brands — moving from brand ambassadors to brand builders.
If confirmed, the Agilitas-Kohli partnership could reshape the sportswear landscape in India, blending performance, entrepreneurship, and fan loyalty into one powerful formula.
