On November 19, the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup finally came to an end. Australia won, defeating India in the Ahmedabad final to capture their sixth title. Following this, Virat Kohli and Cornerstone founder Bunty Sajdeh called it quits, ending a significant association in Indian cricket.
Although the exact cause of the breakup is yet unknown, trustworthy sources claim that the former captain of India is setting up his own business and intends to register it shortly. Notably, Dharma Productions, owned by Karan Johar, joined the talent management industry in 2020 when they partnered with Cornerstone to form Dharma Cornerstone Agency (DCA). Still, the cricketer’s relationship with Cornerstone continued to be separate and untouched by the 2020 joint venture.
Indeed, following a protracted and fruitful collaboration, Virat Kohli and Bunty have called it quits. A number of other cricket players have left Cornerstone over the years. Shubman, Ajinkya, KL Rahul, Rohit, and others. However, Cornerstone and Virat were unbreakable. Now, that connection is over as well,” CricketNext cited an industry insider as saying.
In addition to managing Kohli’s business ventures and off-field brand presence as a founder and manager, Bunty was regarded as a close friend of the cricket player. The latter was often with him when he attended important cricket matches. Numerous agreements with prestigious businesses, such as the noteworthy INR 100-crore relationship with the top sports brand Puma, served as markers for their partnership.
Reports, however, opine that Cornerstone may have separated Kohli and other sportsmen by prioritizing Kohli’s interests over others. Athletes like Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane, Shubman Gill, and others who believed the firm was exclusively focused on Virat to the expense of others were forced to break ways with Cornerstone in the meantime. Nevertheless, the organization continues to have a roster of elite athletes that includes Yash Dhull, Sania Mirza, Umesh Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, and PV Sindhu.