The fantastic 183 run knock against Pakistan in the ongoing Asia Cup in Bangladesh on Sunday and the subsequent Indian victory in the match, has made Indian cricketer, Virat Kohli the latest pin-up boy of the ad world. His soaring popularity on and off the field is slowly making him one of the names to reckon with when it comes to brand endorsements. Up until now, Indian team skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and senior players like Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar were the most popular names when it came to endorsing brands. But after his splendid century, the industry thinks, Kohli has finally arrived.

Harish Bijoor, brand strategist says Virat is definitely one of the names that people will soon sit up and take notice of. “Virat is certainly one of the next contenders for Dhoni’s spot as the skipper of the team. His recent announcement as the vice captain has only further strengthened his brand image. He has been in great form and has shown consistency which is one of the most important factors to take into consideration for a brand endorser.

Plus cricket as a game is only about recent memory. The audience only thinks of you as good as your last knock so right now; his brand value is at an all time high. Besides, it also makes sense to invest in him ahead of the curve before he gets to the throne,” he says, adding that his persona, aggression and his performance, all work very well for him. An industry insider, shedding some light on it says, his popularity with the fairer sex also makes him one of the most popular names. “He is smart, young and good looking. His track record too has been great since the past few months.

 Though right now, he doesn’t have too many endorsements, he will definitely be one of the most sought after names henceforth.” Ad filmmaker, Kunal Shivdasani says that the cricketer’s age is what will give him the edge over other senior players. “Most of the players who have been at the top of the endorsement bandwagon now fall in the senior category. After Dhoni if there is anyone who will be as popular, it’s Virat. He will get a lot of endorsement deals once this series concludes,” he says.