New Delhi: Brands said they will retain Mahendra Singh Dhoni as a star endorser, regardless of whether he continues to play mainstream cricket, as his equity and fan following are at an all-time high. The former Indian skipper led the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to their fifth victory at the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament in a tight game that spilled over to a Tuesday finish.

“Oreo has had successful collaborations with Dhoni and he will continue to be a part of our journey in the future as well,” said Nitin Saini, vice president, marketing at Mondelez, maker of Cadbury chocolate and Oreo cookies. Oreo has been able to leverage multiple facets of Dhoni through his “relatable character,” including the #BringBack2011 cricket campaign of last year, he said.

It’s not clear if Dhoni will return to the IPL next year. “This is the best time for me to announce retirement but the amount of love and affection I have been shown… The tough thing for me is to work hard and come back and play at least one more season,” Dhoni said after CSK defeated Gujarat Titans in the final.

Dhoni’s calm demeanour and relatability contrasts with the aggressive personalities of some of the younger players, drawing fans and brands alike, executives said. “MSD’s equity and connect with fans is the highest currently among all sports players,” said LV Krishnan, CEO of television audience measurement firm TAM Media Research. “This is what brands look for, and irrespective of whether he continues to play or not, they would want to continue associating with him.”

Despite having retired from international cricket in August 2020, Dhoni, 42, endorsed the highest number of brands last year, said TAM AdEx’s celebrity endorsement report, ahead of Amitabh Bachchan, Ranveer Singh and Virat Kohli.

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The cricketer endorses 30 brands including Mastercard, Oreo, Jio Cinema, Skipper pipes, Fire-Boltt and Gulf oil. Other brands he’s been associated with recently include Unacademy, Bharat Matrimony, Netmeds and Dream11. His Instagram follower count is at over 43 million.”Mahi is grounded and has always been a people’s person–this is what draws the fans and brands. And of course, he proves himself again and again successfully on the cricket field,” said Arun Pandey, chairman of sports and entertainment company Rhiti Group, which represents Dhoni’s commercial interests.

Industry estimates peg Dhoni’s net worth at Rs 1,040 crore. Besides endorsements, he has invested in multiple sporting and direct-to-consumer businesses. These include fintech startup KhataBook, pre-owned cars ecommerce platform Cars24, protein foods startup Shaka Harry and drone services startup Garuda Aerospace. He also has his own fitness and lifestyle clothing brand Seven, and is a co-owner of football team Chennaiyin FC, Mahi Racing Team India and field hockey team Ranchi Rays.

“Dhoni is not just a cricketing icon but also an embodiment of trust, reliability, and resilience,” said Siddharth Bansal, director of Skipper Limited, which recently signed him and Jamaican cricketer Chris Gayle to endorse its lead-free pipes and fittings.