India has always produced some high-quality batsmen over the years, who have made a difference to our perception towards the game with their bat. They have also helped sponsors become rich by donning their labels on their bats, thus helping in the promotion.
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Here are a few memorable sponsors of bats for the Indian cricket team:
1. SS
A popular cricketing brand, SS took the prospect to sponsor some of the great Indian batsmen. They are still a very popular in India because of their premium quality bats and some excellent marketing. SS bats have been used by VVS Laxman for a while and even Shikhar Dhawan.
2. Hero Honda
The motorcycle giant was famous for their Dhak Dhak Go ads back in the day were other brands who targeted the Indian batsmen and sponsored them. Once Sehwag had not renewed his contract with Britannia, Hero Honda seized the opportunity and signed both him and Ganguly.
Both of them had a very good time with the sponsor’s labels on their bats and bought a lot of revenue in terms of appreciation. Even when Yuvraj Singh smashed the six 6s, Hero Hondo was his bat sponsor.
3. Britannia
The biscuit brand had managed to rope in some Indian stalwarts to have their label stuck across their bats. The company at its peak had the likes of Sehwag, Laxman, and Dravid play with their names on their willows. Even Mohammad Kaif was with Britannia but they soon stopped sponsoring the game and ended an era.
4. Reebok
There was a time when Reebok sponsored most of the young Indian cricketers’ bats and had some of them as their brand ambassadors. Most revealingly, MS Dhoni was one of the main players who was sponsored by Reebok.
Dhoni and even Gambhir were two of the mainstream players who had RBK or Reebok adorned on their bats. Even Uthappa, Rohit Sharma, and Yuvraj for some time had been sponsored by the apparel brand before they stepped out.
5. MRF
Probably one of the most iconic bat sponsors and a lot of credit for that goes to the quality players who carry the sticker with them. There was a time when only Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, and Steve Waugh had the sponsors’ stickers on their bats.
Sachin had MRF has his bat sponsor for the longest time. He played numerous memorable innings with his “MRF bat” and did wonders for the company. Now, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shikhar Dhawan have MRF sponsors on their bats.
