Dhoni to lend face to BPCL brands

India's latest cricket sensation Mahendra Singh Dhoni is all set to become Bharat Petroleum Corporation's (BPCL) brand ambassador.

Dhoni is likely to sign the contract during the third test match in Mumbai of the ongoing Test series against England.

BPCL has earlier signed on ace driver Narain Karthikeyan as a brand ambassador. He endorses the company's Speed brand. BPCL sources, however, refused to divulge the value of the contract.

Oil companies have been signing on a number of sports personalities of late. Indian Oil Corporation, the leading petroleum marketing company in the country, has left-arm seamer Irfan Pathan, middle-order batsman Yuvraj Singh and leg spinner Anil Kumble as brand ambassadors.

Tennis star Sania Mirza is the brand ambassador for Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL), while captain of the Indian cricket team Rahul Dravid endorses Castrol's brands.

Dhoni's successes during his short career so far has made him a recognisable face.

In just his fifth one-dayer, against Pakistan at Vishakapatnam, he cracked a dazzling 148 and followed that up with a colossal 183 not out at Jaipur against Sri Lanka in November, when he broke Australian Adam Gilchrist's record for the highest score by a wicketkeeper in one day internationals.