The West Indies captain had experimented with an MRF bat in his first match of the World Cup in February, scoring 111 against South Africa, and on Tuesday he became only the third Test cricketer to sign with the Indian-based company to endorse their cricketing products.

Details were not disclosed when the MRF product line was launched by Lara at the Barbados Cricket Association’s boardroom, but word is that he would make a six-figure amount from the initial one-year contract.

Former Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar and Australia’s Test skipper Steve Waugh are the only two other players paid to sport the MRF line.

“This is an important day for MRF,” their deputy manager of the sports goods division, W.V. Raman, told reporters at the launch. “We have spent plenty of money in international cricket, and we want to be tied with the great players of the game today, and all three of these players are champions in their own way,” Raman added.

Raman, also a former Indian Test batsman, said the reputation of the player, his achievements and what he stood for, were all ingredients into Lara being offered the chance to sport MRF equipment.

Lara is excited at his chance to bat consistently with an MRF bat. “When I first saw Tendulkar and Waugh using the bats, I thought to myself it was a difficult group to join, and I’m very honoured to be only the third player offered such a contract,” Lara said.

The Windies skipper said there was some scepticism surrounding his decision to the MRF bat in particular, since he had fallen in love with bats made of English willow, and MRF bats were made from Asian wood. But his fears were allayed after using the bat. “... But from the first time I used the MRF bat, I felt comfortable with it, like if it was made for me to play with.”

After the launch, Lara had words of inspiration for a number of students from the Westbury and St Mary’s Primary Schools, as well as Lester Vaughan, who took time out to get autographs from the world-beater.