New Delhi, June 4 -- "I love sneakers; they go with everything," AB de Villiers, the South African cricketer who played for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team from 2011-21, says when we meet at the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai. Our meeting was three days before a video went viral, showing Virat Kohli, visibly emotional, hug de Villiers after his team Royal Challengers Bengaluru team won its maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title.

The reason for our meeting is the announcement of de Villiers as the India brand partner for Sneaker LAB, a South African company that specialises in eco-friendly shoe care products, including wipes, cleaners and odour protectors. He has also invested in the Indian business arm of Sneaker LAB.

In an interview,...