MLB ropes in Suryakumar Yadav as India ambassador, renews JioStar broadcast partnership
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Major League Baseball (MLB) has appointed Indian cricket star Suryakumar Yadav (SKY) as its ambassador for India and renewed its broadcast partnership with JioStar, marking a fresh push by the American baseball league to expand its footprint in one of the world's largest sports markets.
As part of the partnership, Suryakumar will collaborate with MLB on fan engagement initiatives, original content and marquee events aimed at introducing baseball to Indian audiences. The Mumbai Indians batter, who captained India to the 2026 T20 World Cup title, will also participate in MLB's All-Star Week in Philadelphia from July 10-14.
The league also announced the renewal of its media rights agreement with JioStar, ensuring continued live telecast of MLB games and programming across the broadcaster's linear and digital platforms. The renewed deal includes coverage of the MLB All-Star Game, select regular-season matches, the postseason and the World Series.
Jeremiah Yolkut, senior vice president of Global Operations and Events at MLB, said the partnerships would help the league strengthen its presence in India by combining broad media distribution with the reach of one of the country's most recognised athletes.
"India is home to one of the most vibrant sports cultures in the world, and these partnerships allow us to connect with fans in a meaningful way," Yolkut said. "Suryakumar is one of the most recognised athletes in India, with an ability to connect with millions of fans across the country. Combined with our renewed partnership with JioStar, we are building a powerful foundation to further expand baseball's reach throughout the country."
Speaking about the collaboration, Suryakumar said he looked forward to helping more Indian sports fans discover baseball.
"One of the best things about sport is that it brings people together, no matter where they're from. I'm excited to partner with Major League Baseball and be part of its journey in India. I look forward to learning more about the game myself and helping more fans discover the energy, excitement and culture that make baseball something else," he said.
The announcement builds on MLB's strategic partnership with RISE Worldwide, a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Industries, to support the growth of baseball in India. According to the league, the combined reach of RISE Worldwide and JioStar will help it engage Indian fans through media distribution, original content, fan experiences and year-round programming.