Bear hugs to rolling tears: T20 World Cup a treat for brands

First came the Rohit SharmaVirat Kohli bear hug that broke the internet.

- ANUSHKA BHARDWAJ

This was followed by a teary-eyed camaraderie between the two superstars, and it culminated with the Indian captain's famous WWE legend 'Ric Flair' strut to collect the T20 World Cup trophy in Barbados.

Kohli revealed that he will always remember the moment when he hugged his captain Sharma after clinching the T20 World Cup final on June 29.

"I just felt like in the victory lap he (Sharma) was behind me the whole time. I told him, you also hold the trophy for a while, for two minutes," Kohli told the broadcasters.

While the T20 World Cup celebrations and the bonhomie between the players are always a fan's delight, it is also a treat for brands, which, experts believe, can lead to more collaborative endorsements.

"Their (Sharma and Kohli) chemistry is organic and authentic, making them an appealing choice for collaborative endorsements," says Rupesh Kashyap, Mumbaibased cultural strategist and brand creative director.

"Brands should embrace their creative impulses to craft compelling stories featuring both of them," Kashyap adds.

The working relations between Sharma and Kohli has been a subject of considerable intrigue. The viral video of their camaraderie after the Indian team's euphoric victory dispels these notions.