/ 13 July 2010

India captain Dhoni signs mammoth endorsement deal

India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has signed a two-year endorsement deal with a talent management company worth two billion rupees ($42-million), local media reported on Tuesday.

Dhoni had signed with Rhiti Sports Management and Mindscapes, which manages national teammates Harbhajan Singh and RP Singh, the Press Trust of India said.

“Yes, we have entered into a two-year contract with Dhoni — We signed the contract a week back,” the agency quoted Rhiti Sports general manager Sanjay Pandey as saying.

The contract eclipses a $40-million three-year deal signed by Sachin Tendulkar, one of the all-time greatest batsmen, with sports management firm Iconix in 2006, the agency added.

Dhoni, who led India to victory in the 2007 World Twenty20, was rated the world’s highest paid cricketer by Forbes magazine last year ahead of teammates Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh.

The deal caps a good week for the Indian skipper, who celebrated his 29th birthday and his wedding to 21-year-old management student Sakshi after a small private ceremony in northern India. — Reuters