“From Hyderabad’s streets to leading India’s pace attack — Siraj’s journey mirrors the grit Skechers wants at the heart of its cricket identity.”
In 2025, global sportswear brand Skechers named Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj as its new brand ambassador. The move marks a decisive step into India’s cricket footwear market — a segment that drives much of the country’s sports spending. With this partnership, Skechers signals its ambition to transform from a lifestyle and comfort brand into a serious contender in performance cricket gear.
👟 Skechers in India: From Lifestyle to Performance
Skechers first built its name in India on casual and running shoes. The brand positioned itself around comfort for daily use and fitness, gaining traction among urban buyers through malls and online platforms.
However, the company understood the central place of cricket in Indian sport. While rivals such as Adidas, Puma, and Nike used cricket endorsements to accelerate growth, Skechers remained on the sidelines. By moving into cricket footwear with high-profile ambassadors, Skechers now seeks a place in the core sports market — not just in everyday wear.
Think of Skechers like a student who was excellent at general subjects but now wants to top the main exam. In India, that main exam is cricket. By signing Siraj, Skechers is saying: “We’re serious about cricket, not just comfortable walking shoes.”
🏏 Why Mohammed Siraj? The Three-Pillar Appeal
Siraj brings more than pace to the partnership. He represents effort, discipline, and emotional honesty — qualities that resonate deeply with Indian fans. Skechers chose him for three main reasons:
- Performance: He leads India’s attack in Tests and plays regularly in ODIs and T20s across all conditions
- Relatability: His background matches the lives of many young Indians who see sport as a path upward
- Market Appeal: His open emotions and simple manner connect with viewers in stadiums and at home
| Selection Criteria | What Siraj Offers | Brand Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| On-field Performance | Leads Test attack, regular across formats | Credibility for performance gear |
| Background Story | Working-class roots, self-made journey | Emotional connection with masses |
| Public Persona | Emotional, authentic, unfiltered | Memorable campaigns, viral moments |
| Age & Longevity | Peak career years ahead | Long-term brand association |
📈 Siraj’s Rise: From Hyderabad Streets to International Cricket
Siraj grew up in a working-class family in Hyderabad. His father drove an auto-rickshaw to fund his early training. He learned fast bowling on rough grounds and local tournaments, far from the polished academies that produce many Indian cricketers.
From there, he broke into first-class cricket and then into the national team. Key moments in his career include leading wicket numbers in a Test series against England and strong spells in the IPL. For Skechers, he stands as living proof that talent and hard training can carry a player from local games to the highest level.
Siraj lost his father during his debut Test series in Australia but chose to stay and play. That emotional resilience — bowling through grief — became one of Indian cricket’s most powerful stories. Brands value this narrative depth as much as statistics.
💰 The Cricket Economy in India
Cricket drives a huge share of India’s sports economy. The IPL alone holds a valuation above 10 billion US dollars. Broadcast rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales feed into wider growth in apparel and footwear.
Sportswear brands view cricket as the main entry point to the Indian sports market. Endorsing a cricketer links a logo to this entire ecosystem at once. For Skechers, the cricket footwear segment offers both visibility and direct sales to players and fans.
Key Fact: The IPL is valued at over $10 billion, making it the most valuable cricket league globally and a prime advertising platform for sportswear brands.
⚔️ Competing with Adidas, Nike, and Puma
Adidas, Nike, and Puma still dominate cricket gear in India. They have deep store networks, long contracts with stars, and years of work with the BCCI and IPL franchises. Skechers enters as a challenger brand.
Its advantage lies in comfort technology, competitive pricing, and products tuned specifically to Indian playing surfaces. The brand aims at players who want serious cricket shoes but do not always reach for the highest-priced pairs from established rivals.
| Brand | Key Cricket Ambassador(s) | Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Adidas | Sachin Tendulkar (past), Rohit Sharma | Premium positioning, legacy appeal |
| Puma | Virat Kohli | Performance meets lifestyle fusion |
| Nike | Team India kit (past) | Global sportswear dominance |
| Skechers | Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj | Fast bowler focus, comfort tech, value pricing |
Don’t confuse: Skechers is NOT new to cricket. It already had Jasprit Bumrah as ambassador before signing Siraj. The 2025 deal adds Siraj to an existing cricket strategy, not a brand-new entry.
🔬 Technology and Design in Cricket Footwear
Star names alone do not sell shoes — the product must work on the field. Skechers highlights four design goals in its cricket line:
- Strong Grip: Holds on dry and dusty Indian pitches
- Cushioning: Soft yet firm support for heel and forefoot across long spells
- Light Weight: Enables bowlers and fielders to move quickly
- Durability: Tough uppers and soles that handle daily nets and full matches
These features address needs from local grounds to international stadiums, making the shoes relevant for professionals and amateur club players alike.
🌍 Expanding Beyond Urban Markets
Skechers already has a strong base in metropolitan cities. Cricket gives it an entry into smaller towns and semi-urban regions where the sport dominates local culture.
Siraj’s background makes this expansion easier. He comes from a modest setting and speaks openly about family and early struggle. Fans in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities see a story close to their own lives. With the right price points and distribution, Skechers can reach school teams, academies, and local clubs far from big malls.
This deal illustrates how athlete endorsements serve as cultural bridges. Siraj’s journey from an auto-rickshaw driver’s son to national team leader mirrors the aspirational narrative that brands use to connect with India’s rising middle class.
🚧 Challenges Ahead for Skechers
The brand now faces three main tests:
- Image Shift: Many buyers still view Skechers as a comfort and casual brand. They need proof that it stands for performance in cricket as well.
- Heavy Competition: Adidas, Puma, and local cricket brands such as SG already hold strong market positions.
- Distribution Gaps: To reach smaller markets, Skechers must expand retail and service networks beyond metro cities.
Success in cricket footwear will depend on how well the company answers each of these points over the coming seasons.
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Skechers named Mohammed Siraj as brand ambassador in 2025 to strengthen its cricket footwear presence in India.
Jasprit Bumrah was already a Skechers ambassador before Siraj joined, making both fast bowlers central to the brand strategy.
The IPL is valued at over 10 billion US dollars, making it the world’s most valuable cricket league.
Puma has a long-term endorsement deal with Virat Kohli, combining performance sportswear with lifestyle fashion.
Skechers highlights four design goals: Grip, Cushioning, Lightweight, and Durability — optimized for Indian playing conditions.
