Abhishek Ganguly recalled his first meeting with Virat Kohli, who later became an investor in Agilitas Sports. The first meeting has stayed with him for years.
In 2023, Ganguly co-founded Agilitas Sports with Atul Bajaj and Amit Prabhu. Virat Kohli initially became a co-founder of the one8 brand under the Agilitas umbrella. Later, he became a shareholder of Agilitas in December 2025. It is part of a strategic partnership and investment deal.
Ganguly, an IIM Lucknow graduate, went to Mumbai on the day when Virat Kohli scored a double century against England. The feat was achieved in the harsh heat of Mumbai. Ganguly planned to meet Virat the next day.
Later in the evening, Abhishek wandered into the hotel gym at Trident. He was stunned to see Virat already training at full intensity after a full day on the field.
He asked how it was possible since he had played for quite a long time that day itself. Virat replied that the long innings made training even more important. That answer shifted Abhishek’s idea of commitment.
“Among a lot of other things that Virat is known today for, he has a very, very sharp business mind. I've always appreciated his feedback. That's why even thinking about Agilitas and then thinking about one8 with him has been phenomenal,” Ganguly said in a YouTube video, also featuring King Kohli himself.
Virat Kohli’s investment strategy
Virat, however, disagreed a bit with Ganguly on the “business mind” part. He said he had not known ‘B of business’ before he met Abhishek. Then, he clarified his approach to business.
“In business, if your end goal is to monetise something, it can go to an extent, then it will fade away. But, if your intent is to give something which has meaning and which has people's intent and energy and love behind it, then it translates in the same manner,” Kohli said.
“That's how I've always approached my ideas. Would I like to wear this product that I'm willing to provide to anyone who wants it? If the answer is yes, yeah, I'm going to go for it. So, that's all I've thought,” he said.
“There were a couple of situations where I could have either been just a part of one8 or become a part of Agilitas. That's where I said I would like to become a part of Agilitas because I want to be able to share ideas and create the business together with him and the others,” the cricket legend added.
“Then, you're not just thinking, ‘Okay, they're going to take care of my brand. This is how much I want in the brand. And, this is my exit plan.’ Now, I'm involved in the creative process of everything that comes out, which obviously, for me, someone like me, who's always liked to do stuff, create stuff, it helps me be invested in the right way and be excited as well. And that's precisely why I chose to invest,” Virat Kohli clarified.
