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Watches, cars, sports shoes, motorcycles, clothing, breakdown services, tires, snacks, health food, helmets – even toothbrushes – all benefited from Kohli's marketing treatment.
The 30-year-old, tattooed-haired, hair-styled cricket player currently has 21 brands, including Tissot, Audi, Puma, Uber and Hero, placing him on the list of the 100 highest-paid athletes in the world, established by Forbes in 2018.
Kohli, ranked 83rd with his estimated $ 24 million in revenue over the last 12 months, is the best cricketer in the world and leads other top athletes such as Novak Djokovic and Sergio Aguero.
It is unlikely that he will be able to challenge personalities such as Floyd Mayweather or Lionel Messi, No.1 Forbes, because of the appeal of cricket for most players, mostly Commonwealth countries .
However, he could soon eclipse Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the most lucrative Indian sportsman of all time. Former Indian cricket captain Dhoni earned $ 31 million in 2015 by promoting a series of brands.
His success off the pitch is commensurate with his prowess.
A prolific scorer of races, he has produced Sunday winning rounds to help India defeat Australia and its performances have allowed it to enjoy the status of rock star in the country's 1.3 billion cricket badies. .
Last year, he married actress Anushka Sharma to create a marriage between cricket and Bollywood, the two main obsessions of India.
This does not mean that he has lost his appeal to Indian youth.
"The country's youth – and more than half of the Indian population is under 25 – can identify with the man who lives his dream," Kohli's biographer Vijay Lokapally said.
Kohli has a strong social media presence with more than 37 million fans on Facebook, followed by more than 25 million on Instagram and 27.1 million on Twitter.
"He talks, takes a stand, interacts on social media – all of this goes well with his fans," Lokapally said, calling Kohli "full theater."
PREPARED FOR SHOCK
His sponsors sometimes had difficulties.
When a cricket enthusiast recently called Kohli, the world's best drummer of the test, "overrated" and said he'd rather watch the Australian and English drummers than "these Indians," Kohli responded with both barrels .
"You should go live somewhere else, you know," he said in a video posted on his personal phone application, which he uses to chat with fans and sell goods.
"Why do you live in our country and do you love other countries?" You do not mind that you do not like me, but I do not think you should live in our country … "
Kohli later said that he was "all in favor of freedom of choice" and, although the episode tarnished by his reputation for being susceptible to criticism, he hardly harmed his brand.
On the contrary, said Tuhin Mishra, managing director of sports marketing company Baseline Ventures.
"Such a franchise can really strengthen the brand, as long as it is in keeping with its message," said Mishra, whose firm manages other Indian cricketers including Ravindra Jadeja and Prithvi Shaw.
"After all, brands also want to be seen as patriots."
"Sports and Bollywood stars usually avoid controversy, but fans want their icons to have a voice," he added.
Cornerstone Sport & Entertainment, the company that represents Kohli, declined to discuss its sponsorships and sponsorships.
According to Forbes, $ 20 million of his total comes from endorsements and $ 4 million in wages and so-called "earnings", which would include gains.
Kohli's earnings could continue to grow thanks to India's strong growth – it's the fastest growing major economy in the world and that should mean a lot more dollars in marketing – and of obsessive interest in cricket here and across the Indian diaspora.
He smoothed some of its rough edges. He does not approve of soft drinks or lightening cream for the skin, does not advocate a healthy lifestyle and is a family man and a leader.
He is fighting to increase the pay of his players, requires that players' partners be allowed to tour and seek to influence who is appointed coach of the team.
Mishra of Baseline Ventures said that Kohli's call had evolved.
"As an aggressive youngster, he was then attractive to some brands, and as a married, mature and team captain, he is attractive to another set of brands now," he said.
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