Major League Baseball (MLB) has appointed Indian cricketer Suryakumar Yadav as its ambassador for India, alongside renewing its broadcast partnership with JioStar. As part of the association, Yadav will work with MLB on fan engagement initiatives, original content and events across India and the United States, and is scheduled to participate in MLB All-Star Week in Philadelphia from 10–14 July.
MLB has also renewed its media rights agreement with JioStar, which will continue as the league’s broadcast partner in India across television and digital platforms, covering select regular-season games, the MLB All-Star Game, the Postseason and the World Series.
Jeremiah Yolkut, senior vice president of Global Operations and Events, MLB, said India’s vibrant sports culture makes these partnerships a meaningful way to connect with fans, adding that Suryakumar’s strong recall among Indian audiences, combined with the renewed JioStar partnership, lays a solid foundation for expanding baseball’s presence across the country.
Suryakumar Yadav said sport has a unique ability to bring people together regardless of background, expressing excitement about partnering with MLB and being part of its India journey. He added that he looks forward to learning more about the game himself while helping Indian fans discover the energy and culture that define baseball.
The announcement builds on MLB’s existing partnership with RISE Worldwide, which supports the league’s broader efforts to grow baseball-related initiatives in India, signalling a continued push to deepen the sport’s footprint in the country’s cricket-dominated sporting landscape.
