RISE Worldwide has signed India's emerging cricket talent Gunalan Kamalini as its exclusive commercial and talent management partner, marking the 17-year-old's entry into the agency's growing roster of sportspersons.
With the signing, Kamalini becomes the first female athlete to join RISE Worldwide's talent portfolio, which also includes cricketers Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Sai Sudharsan.
Under the partnership, RISE Worldwide will manage Kamalini's brand endorsements, strategic partnerships, appearances, licensing, digital content and long-term brand development, enabling her to focus on her cricketing career while building her personal brand.
Commenting on the association, Nikhil Bardia, Head of RISE Worldwide, said, "We're delighted to welcome Kamalini to the RISE Worldwide family. She is an exceptional young talent whose performances have already shown the temperament, confidence and ambition needed to succeed at the highest level. We're especially proud to welcome the first female cricketer to our talent roster, marking an important milestone for the agency."
Expressing her excitement, Kamalini said, "I'm really happy to be joining RISE Worldwide. They've worked with some of the biggest names in Indian cricket, and I'm excited to be part of the team. Right now, my focus is on improving as a cricketer and making the most of every opportunity that comes my way."
Kamalini's rise in Indian cricket has been rapid. She represented Tamil Nadu at the U15 and U19 levels before helping the state win a U19 T20 title. She was part of India's victorious squad at the ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup in 2025, finishing as the tournament's third-highest run-scorer.
Later that year, she became the youngest player to debut for the Mumbai Indians in the Women's Premier League (WPL) after securing a contract at the age of 16. Her performances also earned her a maiden India call-up for the home T20I series against Sri Lanka, where she made her international debut at 17.
Ahead of the WPL 2026 mega auction, Mumbai Indians retained Kamalini, and she was recently named in India's squad for the 2026 Asian Games, further cementing her status as one of the country's most promising young cricketers.
