Virat Kohli has become the poster boy of Indian cricket over the last few years, and his popularity has now made him the second most marketable athlete in the world. The Indian batting star has been rated second behind British Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton in the list of most marketable athletes by the UK magazine SportsPro. Kohli is the only Indian in the list, which is driven by marketing potential over the next three years based on value for money, age, home market, charisma, willingness to be marketed and crossover appeal.
The list features 50 athletes. Though his international career has come to a premature end, former England skipper and current Delhi Daredevils captain Kevin Pietersen is the only other cricketer in the list at No.35. Brazilian football star Neymar, who topped the list for the last two years, has slipped to the seventh spot in 2014.
No.1: Lewis Hamilton – Formula One, Great Britain
NO.2 - Virat Kohli - Cricket, India
No.3: Robert Griffin III – football, USA
No.4: Cristiano Ronaldo – soccer, Portugal
No.5: Grigor Dimitrov – tennis, Bulgaria
No.6: Usain Bolt – athletics, Jamaica
No.7: Neymar – soccer, Brazil
No.8: Missy Franklin – swimming, USA
No.9: Blake Griffin – basketball, USA
No.10: Sloane Stephens – tennis, USA
WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship - Day One | Kohli second most marketable athlete - Yahoo Cricket India