Virat Kohli Agilitas Partnership: Cricketer Ends Puma Deal to Invest in Homegrown Sportswear Brand

Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli has officially announced a new partnership with homegrown sportswear startup Agilitas Sports, marking a major shift in his brand and business portfolio. The announcement came on December 8, soon after Kohli claimed the Player of the Series award in India’s 2–1 ODI win over South Africa.

Kohli ended his long-standing association with Puma, a partnership that began in 2017 and was reportedly worth Rs 110 crore, under which his lifestyle-athleisure line One8 was launched. Media reports indicate that Kohli declined a renewal offer of around Rs 300 crore from Puma to support Agilitas instead.

Agilitas Sports was founded by Abhishek Ganguly, the former Managing Director of Puma India and Southeast Asia. Kohli said that Ganguly’s vision, manufacturing expertise, and the strong team being assembled convinced him to invest. “This has been designed by our own people. The foundation of this entire process is fulfilling your potential,” Kohli said while announcing the collaboration.

Regulatory filings indicate that Kohli is making a significant equity investment, estimated at Rs 40 crore for about 1.94% stake through CCPS. This elevates his role from merely endorsing a product to shaping a brand’s future as a strategic stakeholder.

Under the new agreement, Kohli’s One8 brand will now be developed and expanded under the Agilitas portfolio. Planned initiatives include a refreshed identity for One8, new apparel and footwear lines, and expansion into global markets.

Despite retiring from Tests and T20Is, the 36-year-old remains one of India’s most marketable athletes. Kohli is focused on prolonging his ODI career, with ambitions of playing in the 2027 World Cup in Africa. His recent performance—including two centuries and a half-century in the ODI series against South Africa—has reaffirmed his elite form.

Kohli was spotted at Mumbai airport on Sunday and is expected to travel back to London, where he currently resides. He will return later this month for the Vijay Hazare Trophy before India’s ODI series against New Zealand in January.