Virat Kohli is making news yet again. The talented batter is one of the most followed athletes in the world. However, he has been missing from action for some time and is currently on a break from international cricket due to personal reasons. The former Indian cricket team captain informed the BCCI that he would be unavailable for the first two Tests against England in a five-match series. The squad for the last three Tests of the series is yet to be announced. There is intense speculation over his availability in the last three Tests of the series. In the midst of this, a report on Wednesday claimed an interesting update on Virat Kohli’s off-field activity.
In the report by cnbctv18.com, it claimed quoting anonymous sources, that Virat Kohli was “on the verge of terminating his long-standing partnership with Puma India.” The report also said that the news may come as a surprise to many after his eight-year association with the brand. The report further claimed Virat Kohli’s association with the brand began with a whopping Rs 110 crore deal in 2017. It was one of the highly talked about endorsements in Indian sports.
The report added that Virat Kohli may become the face of Agilitas Sports Pvt Ltd, a brand in sports footwear manufacturing. Though the report earlier claimed both Puma and Agilitas Sports were reached out for official statements but was yet to receive it, later the copy was updated.
They quoted Karthik Balagopalan, Managing Director of PUMA India, as saying: “PUMA’s relationship with Virat Kohli is long-standing and continues.”
Earlier, the BCCI requested to “respect Virat Kohli’s privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal reasons”. However, Virat Kohli’s former Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate Ab de Villiers revealed the reason behind his absence from the cricket field.
In an YouTube live, AB de Villiers was asked if he has spoken to Virat Kohli and whether he is fine or not. AB de Villiers then said:
“All I know is he is fine. He is spending a bit of time with his family, that is the reason he is missing the first two Test matches. I am not going to confirm anything else. I cannot wait to see him back. He is fine, he is happy,” revealed AB de Villiers on his YouTube channel.
“Let me just see what he said. I just want to at least give you a little bit of love,” he added.
“So I wrote to him ‘Been wanting to check in with you for a while now biscuits. How are you?’. He said ‘Just need to be with my family right now’. Then I said I am doing well.
“Yes, his second child is on the way. Yes, it’s family time and things are important to him. If you are not true and genuine to yourself, you lose track of what you are here for. I think most people’s priority is family. You can’t judge Virat for that. Yes, we miss him, but he has made the right decision,” he added.
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