Microsoft chairman and chief executive officer responded to the first-ever LinkedIn post by former Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli. Kohli’s post focused on his vision for his Indian sport, and his latest business venture.
Nadella welcomed Kohli to the networking platform, which is a subsidiary of Microsoft, and congratulated him on his latest venture.
“I’ve always wanted to see an India where every sport is followed, celebrated, and played. Today, that vision feels closer than ever. A new generation is proving that India can produce world-class athletes and build brands for the global stage,” Kohli wrote.
Kohli also described his vision for an end-to-end sports platform originating in India, covering manufacturing, consumer brands and sports distribution. He said India could play a role in shaping the future of global sport rather than merely participating in it.
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Kohli also announced that he had joined Agilitas as an investor and taken on the roles of co-founder and co-creator at one8world. The cricketer said the one8 brand was built around pushing boundaries, raising standards and approaching challenges differently. He also mentioned seeing one8world come to life in front of thousands of people in his home city as a significant moment.
“The vision is clear. It’s time to build something that will outlive all of us. That’s the journey we’re on,” he added.
Nadella responded to Kohli’s post saying “My feed just got even more interesting. Welcome to LinkedIn, Virat! And congrats on your next chapter with one8world.”
Kohli’s LinkedIn debut gained significant attention, with reports indicating that his follower count crossed 240,000 within 24 hours of his debut. He has joined other Indian cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja and Robin Uthappa in having a presence on the platform.
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Kumaresh Pattabiraman, country manager of LinkedIn India, also welcomed Kohli to the platform, saying his entrepreneurial journey could inspire professionals building businesses and pursuing opportunities beyond a single career.
Pattabiraman said LinkedIn had 185 million members in India and more than one billion professionals worldwide who use the platform to connect, learn and grow their businesses.
According to a report by the Economic Times, Kohli sold the sportswear and athleisure brand One8world to Agilitas Sports and acquired a minority stake in the company in December 2025. The report stated that the acquisition took place months after Kohli ended an eight-year-long endorsement deal with Puma India.
Kohli is one of the many prominent names associated with Aglitas sports. Other investors include actor Anushka Sharma, former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh, singer Hardy Sandhu and Indian batter Abhishek Sharma.