CEAT Ropes in Ajinkya Rahane for a 4 Year Bat Endorsement Deal

Mumbai, 24th October 2016: CEAT Ltd. has signed a 4-year bat endorsement association with ace Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane. As India's batting lynchpin across all three formats of the game, over the past few years, Ajinkya has emerged as one of India's most consistent performer. He will be seen representing CEAT bat in all the versions of cricket going forward. The CEAT logo will be prominently donned on the bats used by the graceful right-hander.

Ajinkya Rahane, a stylish cricketer and a stickler for old-school batting technique can bat at the top and in the middle order and has been in outstanding form for India and in the IPL. A dependable batsman who has a terrific reputation for putting big scores on the board and one of the best fielders in the Indian team, making him the complete package on the field.

He is also a versatile player who adapts to the pitch and weather conditions easily helping him perform consistently on overseas pitches. In full flow, he can be one of the most pleasing sights in present-day cricket. Scoring runs in all corners of the park, he has produced some of most flawless stroke-play; including the trademark back foot square punch.

Commenting on the latest development, Anant Goenka, Managing Director, CEAT Ltd, said, “At CEAT, it is our on-going effort to strengthen our association with cricket. We are delighted to have Ajinkya Rahane on board, representing our brand across all formats of cricket. Ajinkya will strengthen the roster of exciting and world class players we are proud to be collaborating with. His exquisite technique and dependability has made him one of the best batsmen in the game today and makes him a great fit for our brand. His performance on the field represents the values that CEAT believes in. I welcome him to the CEAT family and would like to wish continued success on and off the field."

Speaking on the occasion, Ajinkya Rahane said, "It gives me immense pleasure to partner with CEAT, a company which is deeply rooted with Cricket. I look forward to a fruitful association with them".

Often widely praised for his batting technique, commitment and discipline to the game, Ajinkya has always been a prolific scorer and came up the ranks quickly. A batsman who epitomises elegance, he has a wide array of shots and has played some crucial knocks. Recently in the 4th test match of 2015 Freedom Series, Ajinkya made hundreds in both the innings on a pitch where most batsmen found it difficult to score on; with this feat, he became only the fifth Indian to join the elite club of twin centurions in a single test.

He is also one of the key fielders in the Indian team which was on full display in the first Test of 2015 tour of Sri Lanka when he broke the world record for most catches in a Test match with eight. Last year in May 2015, he was adjudged the CEAT Indian Cricketer for his stellar performances with the bat and in the field.

CEAT as a brand has always been associated with cricket—be it pioneering CEAT Cricket Ratings or the foray in cricket equipment via CEAT Cricket gear. CEAT also has tie-ups with Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina and Ishan Kishan for bat association. CEAT also tied up with IPL for the Strategic Time Out segment and has brought former Australian international cricketer Brett Lee on board as their brand ambassador for CEAT Cricket Ratings.