Sundar Pichai stepped out of the boardroom and into the commentary box during the high-stakes India versus South Africa T20 World Cup match at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. The Google CEO joined cricket legend Ravi Shastri on air during the mid-innings break. He offered fans a unique blend of technology leadership and cricket passion. ICC chairman Jay Shah invited Pichai, who witnessed South Africa's batting performance. They posted 187 for 7 in 20 overs, and David Miller smashed 63 off 35 balls[-2]. We explore Pichai's cricket fandom, his childhood idols, and what this high-profile appearance reveals about Google's growing involvement in Indian sports.
Cricket Fan Sundar Pichai Reveals Childhood Idols and Passion
The Chennai-born CEO harbored dreams of becoming a cricketer during his formative years, much like countless Indians. Pichai had posters of cricket legends adorning his bedroom walls, with Sunil Gavaskar occupying a prominent spot. "I did dream of being a cricketer like so many Indians. I used to be a huge fan of (Sunil) Gavaskar when he was playing and later, Sachin (Tendulkar) when he played. I always had a dream," Pichai shared while addressing students at Shri Ram College of Commerce.
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His cricket fandom took root at an early age. He attended the 1986 tied test in Chennai between India and Australia. "The first game I ever saw live was the Chennai tied test. I was there on the last day, and saw one of the two ever tests in the history of the game that were tied. That's what got me hooked to cricket," he recalled. This rare cricket moment left an indelible mark on the young Pichai.
Pichai holds strong priorities regarding cricket formats. "I always thought test cricket was amazing. I had the time to watch it too...but T20 is not something I grew up with, so I don't enjoy it as much as I do test cricket or one-day matches," he admitted. His admiration for Sachin Tendulkar ran so deep that he would get nervous watching the master blaster bat.
Pichai's sporting interests extend beyond cricket. He follows football with fervor and supports Barcelona and Lionel Messi. "I would drive my mom crazy when I was young. I would wake up in the middle of the night to watch World Cup soccer to watch the Brazilian team in those days," he noted.
Google CEO's Ahmedabad Visit Follows Viral AI Summit Appearance
Sundar Pichai's presence in India after the cricket spectacle stemmed from his participation at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, held from February 16 to 20 in New Delhi. The five-day conference attracted over 500 global AI leaders. These included 100 CEOs and founders, 150 academicians and researchers, and 400 CTOs, VPs, and philanthropists. Government participation included more than 20 heads of state and government, along with around 60 ministers and vice ministers.
Pichai visited the Bharat GI Coffee Lounge hosted by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade at the summit. He savored Malabar Arabica and interacted with baristas. Union Minister Piyush Goyal captured the moment on X, stating, "When @SundarPichai drops by for a sip, you know it's truly worth it!". The coffee moment generated considerable buzz online and became one of the summit's most talked-about moments.
A video showing attendees chanting "Sundar" as Pichai walked through the venue went viral on social media. YouTuber Anant Ladha shared a lighthearted exchange where he joked with Pichai about receiving money monthly through YouTube. This prompted laughter from the Google CEO.
Pichai addressed world leaders about AI's potential to improve billions of lives. He repeated Google's INR 1265.71 billion infrastructure investment in India. He emphasized Visakhapatnam's emergence as a global AI hub.
Technology Giant Strengthens Presence in Indian Sports
Google secured a ₹270 crore sponsorship agreement with the Board of Control for Cricket in India for the Indian Premier League, spanning three years from 2026 to 2028. The deal positions Google Gemini as a principal commercial partner alongside Tata Group, which holds the title sponsorship rights. This marks one of the largest sports marketing investments by an AI brand in India to date.
The International Cricket Council partnered with Google ahead of the men's T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. The partnership named Google Gemini the official artificial intelligence fan companion and Google Pixel the official smartphone. The Gemini app will host an 'explore cricket' tab featuring interactive tools such as quizzes and explainer content through this partnership. Google's collaboration with ICC builds on earlier engagement during the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025.
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India's sports market stands poised to reach ₹10,969.46 billion by 2030 and will grow at twice the speed of the national GDP. A joint report by Google and Deloitte projects the sports technology market will expand at 19% CAGR, accelerated by state-of-the-art developments in fan engagement. Roma Datta Chobey, Managing Director at Google India, highlighted the potential of AI-driven personalization and immersive technologies to improve fan experiences.
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