Rishabh Pant set to score big with advertisers after IPL mega auction

Brand experts think that the people (brand management consultants Anant Arora and Indranil Blah) who are managing Pant will definitely hike his price

“He doesn’t need to hit today. He’s going big anyway,” Indian batsman Virat Kohli said in a light-hearted comment about Rishabh Pant during the Border Gavaskar Trophy Test match in Australia on Sunday, referring to the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction.

 

Pant has made headlines as the highest auctioned player at the IPL auction, fetching Rs 27 crore. Experts believe that while Pant has achieved a significant milestone, he needs to maintain consistency to establish himself as the face of Indian cricket.

 

For now, Pant has certainly caught the attention of brands. Currently associated with 15 brands, this number is expected to rise, further boosting his image as a brand icon.

 

“Pant is currently valued at about $15 million, and I feel his value will increase by 30-40 per cent for deals,” said Harikrishnan Pillai, chief executive officer and co-founder of TheSmallBigIdea, a creative digital marketing agency, in an interaction with Business Standard. Pillai, who has previously worked with Zee Network and Reliance Broadcast, noted Pant’s impressive growth trajectory.

 

“Brand deals are not new to him. What is interesting is the trajectory—from Rs 1.5-2 crore a few years ago to Rs 27 crore today. His brand deals will also see these astronomical jumps,” Pillai added.

 

Brand experts believe Pant’s management team, including brand consultants Anant Arora and Indranil Blah, will likely raise his price further.

 

In a LinkedIn post a day after Day 1 of the IPL auction, Arora remarked that Pant being the most expensive Tata IPL player was no surprise. “With this IPL milestone, our boy [Pant] is ready to take his game to new heights, reinforcing the belief that no challenge is too big when you have the passion to overcome it,” Arora wrote. 

 

The one word brand experts frequently use to describe the left-handed batsman is “endearing.”

 

“Rishabh’s brand value will grow exponentially, but he has a very different persona from Virat Kohli, who was always sexy and stylish. Rishabh is sincere and successful,” said Sandeep Goyal, chairman of Rediffusion, an advertising agency. He added that “mass premium” is a more apt description of Pant’s alignment with brands.

 

On the other hand, N Chandramouli, CEO of TRA Research, believes Pant’s appeal spans across categories. “Any brand—from automobiles to innerwear, from pens to colleges and schools—would be eager to sign Pant.

 

“IPL is the world’s largest platform—not just for cricket, but the largest league ever seen. It has viewership numbers that surpass even American football. With IPL being the most popular league, any player associated with it becomes a top performer, even beyond the cricketing world. Rishabh Pant is perhaps one of the brightest faces around,” Chandramouli said.

 

At just 27 years old, Pant’s Instagram following of over 13.6 million reflects his strong connection with fans in India and internationally.

 

Chandrasekhar Mantha, partner and media and entertainment leader at Deloitte India, said Pant’s popularity highlights his ability to command attention both as an athlete and a cultural icon, making him highly sought after for endorsements by brands targeting dynamic, sports-loving audiences.

 

“Having captained IPL teams successfully in the past, Pant offers a blend of tactical insight and on-field decision-making,” said Mantha.

 

“His technical skills as a batsman align well with his team’s (LSG) needs. Pant’s on-field excellence and charismatic off-field presence have made him highly attractive to brands seeking to capitalise on his broad appeal and substantial fan following,” Mantha added.

 

Experts agree that Pant is emerging as an influential personal brand with significant resonance among youth and sports enthusiasts.