Indian cricketer Virat Kohli's wax statue was unveiled at Madame Tussauds museum in India's capital city of Delhi on Wednesday (6). The wax statue has the skipper wearing the Indian cricket team jersey and posing with his bat, ready to strike.
Kohli, 29, has joined a long list of sporting celebrities including Sachin Tendulkar, Lionel Messi, Kapil Dev and Usain Bolt to make it to the Indian branch of the wax statue museum.
"I sincerely appreciate the efforts and incredible work undergone in making my figure," Kohli said in a statement. "Thanks to Madame Tussauds for choosing me for this lifetime experience. I am grateful to my fans for their love and support. This experience is going to be stored in the fond memories of my life...now waiting to see the fan reactions."
Over the years, Kohli has won several honours, thanks to his unbeatable performances. The Arjuna award, ICC World Cricketer of the year and three BCCI international cricketer of the year awards are all proof of his great contribution to cricket. The Indian government has also awarded him with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour.
World's highest paid athletes
This week, Kohli also found a place on Forbes' world’s highest-paid athletes, landing on the 83rd spot with USD 24 million.
The 29-year-old is not just a popular name in India, where cricket is worshiped. He is also one of the most popular athletes in the world, “boasting more Twitter followers (25 million-plus) than all but three active sports stars”, Forbes said.
In March, the Board of Control for Cricket in India named Kohli as one of five players to receive the newly-created A+ contracts, which guarantee an annual retainer of more than USD 1 million.
“Yet like the Indian cricket mega-stars who have come before him, Kohli’s big payday comes off the pitch,” said Forbes. He is partnered with a number of top brands including Puma, Pepsi, Audi and Oakley.
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