Even before he faces the first ball, the World Cup has begun doing wonders for Virender Sehwag -- and his bank account.
The Knight of Najafgarh has become the first celebrity to be roped by Reliance Infocomm for a commercial that will air during India's World Cup campaign. Reliance Infocomm is an associate sponsor of the tournament.
The company's ads, hoardings and commercials have till date only featured Dhirubhai Ambani, the founder and chairman of Reliance group of companies, who passed away last year, and Sehwag has a hard act to follow.
While the advertisments featuring Dhirubhai Ambani played on the emotional appeal of Reliance's patriarch and his vision, the Sehwag commercial is expected to harp about the WLL services of Reliance Infocomm launched under the brand name, Reliance IndiaMobile. No other celebrity has been lined up by the company, sources said.
The exact date when the commercial, created by Mudra Communciations, will hit the airwaves is yet unclear. Sources said it would be another week before the advertisement is ready but it is unlikely Reliance will fail to capitalise on the buzz generated by the India-Australia match, which coincides with the opening of bookings for the WLL services.