Rohit Sharma, the Indian cricket icon, has invested in LightFury Games, the AAA-focused game-tech studio behind the upcoming cricket title eCricket. As reported by ANI, The Economic Times, NewsBytes, and The Tribune, Sharma joins a roster of marquee cricketers — including MS Dhoni, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Tilak Varma, and Sai Sudharsan — as a strategic investor, becoming the eighth such cricketer to back the studio.
Sharma will also feature in eCricket as an officially licensed player. According to the studio, his experience at the highest level of cricket, competitive mindset, and understanding of the sport will contribute to building an authentic and competitive cricket gaming experience.
The game and its rollout
LightFury Games unveiled its second official teaser for eCricket over the weekend, which reached over one million views across platforms. The studio says the game is being developed around competitive gameplay, authentic cricket physics, broadcast-quality presentation, licensed players, and high-fidelity visuals, with social and multiplayer features central to the experience.
The game is scheduled to begin a phased Closed Beta rollout in September 2026. The first wave of players will get hands-on access, and community feedback will directly inform development ahead of a wider launch later this year. According to LightFury Games, more than 300,000 fans have already signed up for the game.
The latest teaser highlights the Ultimate Squad mode, one of eCricket's core modes, which will feature a roster of more than 700 officially licensed cricketers from around the world, allowing players to create their own squads and compete using different strategies.
New additions and quotes
Former Indian cricketer and television personality Navjot Singh Sidhu will also join eCricket as one of its official commentators. Details about a wider line-up of commentary voices were not provided in the announcements reviewed.
In a statement included in the press materials, Sharma said, "High-performance sport is built on preparation, precision, and the pursuit of continuous improvement. I see those same values reflected in what LightFury Games is building with eCricket." The Economic Times and NewsBytes also quoted him expressing excitement to support the studio's vision of building a world-class cricket experience from India.
Karan Shroff, co-founder and CEO of LightFury Games, said in the announcements that the studio's goal is to create game franchises from India for a global audience. He called Sharma's investment a defining milestone and noted that the response to eCricket, including sign-ups and teaser viewership, shows the potential in cricket gaming.
About LightFury Games
Founded in 2024 by Karan Shroff, Anurag Banerjee, and Tina Balachandran, LightFury Games has a leadership team that has worked on more than 40 AAA titles. In 2026, the company raised an additional $11 million to support development of its global cricket gaming franchise, with backers including Blume Ventures, V3 Ventures, MIXI, Times Internet, and strategic investors from the Indian cricket ecosystem. The studio now has more than 120 developers and industry professionals, according to the reports.