Runs for their money

On the pitch, he is invaluable. But how much is Virender Sehwag off it? Is he worth Rs 100 crore that PMG paid him recently?

He doesn’t have the youth appeal of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, nor the legendary status of Sachin Tendulkar. Neither is he a new kid on the block. Yet Virender Sehwag struck a five-year deal worth Rs 100 crore with Sunil Gavaskar’s Professional Management Group. What makes Virender Sehwag a Rs 100-crore man, and more importantly, is he worth it?

On the pitch, it wouldn’t be unfair to say that the Nawab of Najafgarh, who turned 32 last month, is in a league of his own. Historian and writer Mukul Kesavan recently called him “modern cricket’s Zen Master”. The opposition is often at their wits end trying to find a plan to counter him, as Mickey Arthur, the former South African coach, wrote in his book Taking the Mickey. “He has an answer for everything,” Arthur wrote and described him as the synonym for destruction in cricket.

 

Sehwag’s destructive, distinctive style of batting has earned him the reputation of being one of the most feared batsmen in the world. In 2009 Sehwag averaged 70 runs at the impossible strike rate 108.9. In ODIs, he averaged 45 at 136.5. In April, he was named Wisden Cricketer of the year for the first time in his career. In 2010, he has been at his blistering best yet again and has scored 1,078 runs in 10 test matches at an average of 63.4. Tendulkar has been in glorious form but Sehwag has been better.

“The thing with Sehwag is that you rarely see him out of form. He always manages to get big hundreds in a test series,” says former wicket keeper Syed Kirmani. He delights the fans, makes batting look easy and goes about his business in a no-nonsense manner. Perhaps, it is this quality which appeals to the advertisers and marketers.

Sehwag has an appeal which works extremely well for the mass brands, says a senior executive of a talent management company. At the moment, Sehwag endorses Hero Honda, Zandu Balm, Boost and Adidas.

Sehwag was a hot property in 2005 and companies were falling over to sign him, says Latika Khaneja, director, Collage Sports Management, which handled Sehwag’s endorsements earlier. But is he worth Rs 100 crore? He is a great cricketer and probably deserves it, says Khaneja. However, she believes that things will be clearer after the World Cup 2011.

He first rose to prominence in 2005 — an era dominated by the troika of Dravid, Ganguly and Tendulkar — both on the field as well as off it. Then came Dhoni and his young guns — Irfan Pathan, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir.

Dhoni still commands the heftiest fees and remains the apple of the eye for brands. In July this year, Dhoni signed a three-year deal worth Rs 210 crore with Rhiti Sports Management. “If you look at their on-field achievements, then Sehwag certainly deserves Rs 100 crore,” says a senior executive of a company which wanted to sign Sehwag but opted against the idea because of IPL endorsement clashes.

Dhoni is seen as a young, cool captain who is unfazed by challenges — an image that works with the youth. Sehwag, in that sense, doesn’t come across as very exciting. In 2008, Dabur dropped him as its brand ambassador because of premature hair loss and poor run of form. However, Sam Balsara, director, PMG, is confident. “The kind of image he has carved is different from that of any other cricketer in the country,” he says.

On the field, many feel that Sehwag is peerless. His former captain Sourav Ganguly calls him a “special” player. “He is a match-winner and can change the course of the game on his own.” Former chairman of selectors Dilip Vengsarkar adds, “He has been the most crucial player for India in recent times.” And with the World Cup less than 100 days away, it’s the right time for brands to cash in on him.

Brands used to look at someone reliable for long-term investment. Now they aren’t willing to offer long term deals to cricketers.

“Only if you are Sachin Tendulkar, there are long-term deals,”says Khaneja. Sehwag’s star is on the rise and the deal with PMG proves that. He might be synonymous with destruction on the cricketing pitch, but off it he exudes reliability, maturity and a mass appeal. That’s something PMG will be hoping will work in Sehwag’s favour.