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File photo of Indian cricket team star Virat Kohli©AFP
Virat Kohli is in the news again. The talented batsman is one of the most followed athletes in the world. However, he has been absent from action for some time and is currently on a break from international cricket due to personal reasons. The former captain of the Indian cricket team informed the BCCI that he would not be available for the first two Tests against England in a five-match series. The team for the final three rounds of the series is yet to be announced. There is intense speculation about his availability in the last three Tests of the series. Amidst this, a report on Wednesday claimed an interesting update on Virat Kohli’s off-field activity.
In the report of cnbctv18.com, claimed citing anonymous sources, that Virat Kohli was “on the verge of ending his long-standing association with Puma India.” The report also says that the news may surprise many after eight years of association with the brand. The report further claimed that Virat Kohli’s association with the brand began with a huge Rs 110 crore deal in 2017. It was one of the most talked about endorsements in Indian sports.
The report adds that Virat Kohli could become the face of Agilitas Sports Pvt Ltd, a sports footwear manufacturing brand. Although the report previously claimed that both Puma and Agilitas Sports were contacted for official statements but had not yet received them, the copy was later updated.
They quoted Karthik Balagopalan, Managing Director, PUMA India, as saying, “PUMA’s relationship with Virat Kohli is long-standing and continuing.”
Earlier, the BCCI asked to “respect Virat Kohli’s privacy during this time and refrain from speculating on the nature of his personal motives.” However, Ab de Villiers, Virat Kohli’s former teammate at Royal Challengers Bangalore, revealed the reason for his absence from the cricket field.
In a YouTube live, AB de Villiers was asked if he had spoken to Virat Kohli and whether he was fine or not. AB de Villiers then said:
“All I know is that he is fine. He is spending some time with his family, that is the reason he missed the first two Test matches. I am not going to confirm anything else. I can’t wait to see him back “He’s fine, he’s happy,” AB de Villiers revealed on his YouTube channel.
“Let me see what he said. I just want to give you at least some love,” he added.
“So I texted him, ‘I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a while, cookies. How are you?’ He said, ‘I just need to be with my family right now.’ Then I told him I’m fine.
“Yes, his second child is on the way. Yes, it’s family time and things are important to him. If you’re not honest and genuine with yourself, you lose track of what you’re here for. I think the priority of Most people are 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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