If you follow cricket, fashion, or Indian business news, you have almost certainly heard of One8 — the sportswear and lifestyle brand that carries the unmistakable stamp of Virat Kohli, one of the greatest cricketers of all time. But here is what most people do not know: the ownership of One8 changed completely in December 2025, and the story behind that change is one of the most interesting brand deals to come out of India in recent years.
So who actually owns One8 today? The brand was originally created by Virat Kohli, then built in partnership with Puma, and has now been fully acquired by Agilitas Sports — with Kohli himself reinvesting into the new parent company as a co-founder and minority shareholder. It is a story about a cricketer turning into a businessman, a former Puma executive betting everything on building India’s first global sportswear brand, and a friendship that turned into one of the most ambitious ventures in Indian sports retail.
What Is One8?
One8 began as an internet-first lifestyle and athleisure line offering sportswear, apparel, accessories, innerwear, and fragrances, before expanding into the dining category with One8 Commune, now a fast-growing national restaurant chain.
The name One8 is deeply personal to Kohli — it is a reference to his jersey number 18, which he has worn throughout his international cricket career. The brand was designed from day one to reflect his philosophy of sport, fitness, and confident Indian identity, brought to life through premium-quality products that sit comfortably between performance and lifestyle.
One8 operates as an internet-first brand offering sportswear for men, and was founded in 2017 by Virat Kohli. Today it spans not just sportswear and footwear but also a successful chain of premium restaurants called One8 Commune, which has established a strong presence in major Indian cities.
Who Owns One8 Right Now in 2026?
The ownership of One8 has undergone a significant transformation. As of December 2025, the brand is fully owned by Agilitas Sports — an Indian sportswear company founded by Abhishek Ganguly in 2023.
Agilitas Sports has acquired Virat Kohli’s sportswear and athleisure brand One8. One8, which was earlier licensed to Puma, will now be fully owned by the Indian-origin company. “Virat is no longer just a part of One8. He is now an investor and shareholder in the company,” said Ganguly, co-founder and CEO at Agilitas Sports.
Crucially, the earlier version of One8 operated in collaboration with another brand (Puma), but under Agilitas it will be developed as a standalone independent label.
And Kohli did not simply walk away after selling. Kohli also invested Rs 40 crore in Agilitas Sports to join as an investor and co-founder of the One8 vertical. He sold the brand, then reinvested into the company acquiring it — making him both the creative face and a financial stakeholder in One8’s next chapter.
One8 Ownership and Key Stakeholders Table
| Party | Role | Stake / Position | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agilitas Sports | Current Full Owner of One8 Brand | 100% ownership of One8 | Acquired from Virat Kohli in December 2025; integrating One8 into sportswear portfolio |
| Virat Kohli | Original Founder & Current Co-Founder / Investor | Minority stake in Agilitas (~1.49%+ after Rs 40 crore investment) | Sold One8 to Agilitas; reinvested Rs 40 crore; remains co-founder of One8 vertical |
| Abhishek Ganguly | Founder & CEO of Agilitas Sports | Controlling ownership of Agilitas | Former MD of Puma India; launched Agilitas in 2023 |
| Abhishek Sharma (cricketer) | Investor in Agilitas | Minority stake | Fellow cricketer who invested in Agilitas during a prior funding round |
| Puma India | Former Licensing Partner | No longer involved | Was the manufacturing and distribution partner for One8 from 2017 to 2025 |
| One8 Commune | Restaurant Brand under One8 | Operated separately | National restaurant chain associated with the One8 brand; continues to expand |
The Origin Story: A Casual Conversation That Built a Brand
The story of One8 does not begin in a boardroom. It began in a casual conversation between two people who respected each other deeply — a world-class cricketer and a sharp sportswear executive.
Virat Kohli, Co-Founder and Investor of One8, said: “My relationship with Abhishek grew very naturally, it was never forced. One day, while casually talking about my desire to build something of my own, he simply said, ‘Let’s go for it,’ and that’s how one8 began. Sport has shaped my entire life. Movement, comfort, and performance define everything for me, and that philosophy naturally translated into the brand.”
At the time, Abhishek Ganguly was the Managing Director of Puma India — and he had just signed Kohli as Puma’s brand ambassador in a landmark Rs 110 crore deal. Their professional relationship deepened into a genuine friendship, and that friendship became the foundation for One8.
Virat Kohli launched his athleisure brand One8 in collaboration with German sports lifestyle brand Puma in 2017, which provided design, product, retail, and communication channels for the brand. While the One8 line initially comprised athleisure apparel, performance apparel, footwear, and accessories were introduced in upcoming seasons.
The brand name was not accidental. 18 is Kohli’s jersey number — the number he has worn since his early days in Indian cricket. Embedding it in the brand name made One8 instantly personal, instantly recognizable, and immediately connected to everything Kohli represents as an athlete and public figure.
The Puma Chapter: Seven Years of Growth
For nearly eight years, One8 was deeply intertwined with Puma. The German sportswear giant provided the manufacturing muscle, distribution network, and retail presence that allowed One8 to grow from a small internet-first brand into a product line sold across Puma stores, e-commerce platforms, and major marketplaces across India.
Kohli’s agreement to sell One8, earlier a part of Puma, to Agilitas came months after his seven-year-long contract with Puma ended. As the managing director of Puma India, Ganguly had played a key role in roping in Kohli as the company’s brand ambassador back then. The Rs 110 crore contract, which began around 2017, was reportedly in place for eight years, until 2025.
When Kohli’s Puma contract ended in 2025, the door opened for something new. Ganguly had by that point already left Puma and founded Agilitas Sports in 2023. The timing was perfect — and the deal that followed was a natural next step in a relationship that had been building for nearly a decade.
Who Is Abhishek Ganguly? The Man Now Running One8
Understanding who owns One8 today means understanding the man who controls Agilitas Sports — Abhishek Ganguly.
Ganguly, a former Managing Director of Puma India, moved on from the sportswear giant to launch Agilitas Sports in 2023. He spent years at the helm of Puma India during its most successful growth phase in the Indian market, and when he left, he took with him an encyclopedic knowledge of what it takes to build a sportswear brand from manufacturing all the way to retail.
Agilitas functions as a fully integrated platform that spans manufacturing, research and development, brand creation, and nationwide retail distribution. In 2023, the company expanded its operational capacity by acquiring Mochiko Shoes, one of India’s largest sports footwear manufacturers. The addition of Mochiko strengthened the group’s domestic supply chain and enhanced its export capabilities across footwear production.
Ganguly said: “I first met Virat on the day he scored a double hundred in Mumbai and still went straight into training after a full day in the heat — that moment stayed with me. It defined his mindset. The One8 mindset is about taking risks, trying the unknown and never settling. Together, we are building a high-performance brand from India, rooted in sports functionality, best-in-class quality, and a very clear reason to exist.”
What Happens to One8 Under Agilitas?
The acquisition is not just a change of ownership on paper — it represents a complete reinvention of what One8 is and where it is going.
One8’s offerings will include shoes, apparel, and functional lifestyle products designed to be worn both on and off the sports field. One8 shoes will be priced between Rs 4,000 and Rs 10,000. In India, the products will be available through a shopping app, a web store, marketplaces, and shop-in-shop formats, along with exclusive brand outlets each spread across 2,500–3,000 sq ft.
Global distribution will start in the next 12 to 15 months, and the US will be the first international market. The brand will also expand into the UK and Australia as part of its international rollout.
With its transition into Agilitas, One8 is expected to sharpen its focus on high-performance footwear, training apparel, and sport-led lifestyle products, guided by athlete-first design principles.
The goal, as Ganguly and Kohli have both stated publicly, is to build India’s first truly global sportswear brand — something that can compete with Nike, Adidas, and Puma not just in India but on the world stage.
One8 Commune: The Restaurant Business
While most people associate One8 with sportswear, the brand has a thriving second life in the Indian hospitality industry.
One8 Commune is a chain of premium restaurants that Kohli launched under the One8 brand umbrella. The restaurants are known for their upscale yet approachable dining experience, combining carefully curated menus with stylish interiors that reflect Kohli’s personal aesthetic. One8 Commune is now a fast-growing national restaurant chain with locations in several major Indian cities, and it operates as a separate entity from the sportswear brand.
Virat Kohli: From Cricketer to Business Builder
What makes the One8 story especially compelling is what it says about Virat Kohli as a businessman — not just a cricketer.
One8 and WROGN are the primary companies owned by Kohli, spanning fashion, athleisure, and hospitality. He has invested in startups across plant-based food, fitness, insurance, gaming, and wellness sectors. Kohli holds stakes in sports ventures such as FC Goa (ISL) and Team Blue Rising (E1 Racing). Being the third most followed athlete on Instagram, with approximately 264 million followers, Virat Kohli has garnered attention with not only his cricketing achievements but also the brands he owns.
Kohli said: “What inspired me to bring One8 to Agilitas was the depth of its manufacturing, the strength of the people, the structure they’ve built, and Abhishek’s expertise. I am deeply involved in the creative process. Nothing excites me more than building something that represents quiet confidence, gives me my Indian identity, and takes it from India to the world.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Who owns One8 brand in 2026?
One8 is fully owned by Agilitas Sports, the Indian sportswear company founded by Abhishek Ganguly, after acquiring the brand from Virat Kohli in December 2025.
Q2. Did Virat Kohli sell One8?
Yes. Virat Kohli sold One8 to Agilitas Sports in December 2025 but reinvested Rs 40 crore into Agilitas and joined as a co-founder and minority investor.
Q3. Who founded One8 and when?
One8 was founded by Virat Kohli in 2017, originally launched in partnership with Puma India as an internet-first athleisure and sportswear brand.
Q4. What was Puma’s role in One8?
Puma was the licensing and manufacturing partner for One8 from 2017 to 2025, providing design, production, and retail distribution. After Kohli’s Rs 110 crore Puma contract ended in 2025, the brand moved to Agilitas.
Q5. Who is Abhishek Ganguly and what is Agilitas Sports?
Abhishek Ganguly is the founder and CEO of Agilitas Sports, a vertically integrated Indian sportswear company he launched in 2023 after serving as Managing Director of Puma India.
Q6. What products does One8 sell?
One8 sells high-performance footwear (priced Rs 4,000–Rs 10,000), training apparel, and sport-lifestyle products, along with operating One8 Commune, a national restaurant chain.
Q7. Will One8 expand globally?
Yes. Agilitas Sports plans to launch One8 internationally within 12–15 months, with the United States as the first market, followed by the UK and Australia.
Q8. What is One8 Commune?
One8 Commune is a chain of premium restaurants launched by Virat Kohli under the One8 brand, now operating as a fast-growing national dining chain across major Indian cities.
One8 was originally founded by Virat Kohli in 2017, built in partnership with Puma, and sold to Agilitas Sports in December 2025. Today, Agilitas Sports — led by founder and CEO Abhishek Ganguly — is the full owner of the One8 brand. Virat Kohli sold the brand but immediately reinvested Rs 40 crore into Agilitas to become a co-founder and minority shareholder in the company, maintaining deep involvement in the brand’s creative direction and global expansion strategy.
One8 is no longer just an Indian sportswear label with a celebrity face. Under Agilitas, it is positioning itself as a premium high-performance global brand with manufacturing depth, a multi-channel retail strategy, and international expansion plans targeting the US, UK, and Australia — all backed by the most recognized athlete brand in Indian sports history.
