Influencer Marketing in IPL: Evaluating the Role of Cricketers and Sports Influencers on Brand Trust

The Indian Premier League has grown into a uniquely powerful commercial arena where brands invest heavily in cricketer-led influencer marketing, yet empirical evidence on how this investment shapes consumer brand trust remains thin in Indian scholarship. This study investigates that relationship using primary data collected from 120 IPL viewers in Vadodara, Gujarat through a structured Likert-scale questionnaire. Four credibility dimensions expertise, genuineness, prestige, and personal-use authenticity were measured alongside four brand trust indicators, and hypotheses were tested using Pearson correlation, independent-samples t-test, chi-square, and one-way ANOVA. The findings are clear and statistically robust. Consumers who actively follow IPL cricketers on social media trust endorsed brands significantly more than non-followers (M = 4.21 vs. 3.47; t = 6.32, p < 0.001). Among credibility dimensions, personal-use authenticity carries the strongest correlation with brand trust (r = 0.81) despite scoring lowest on average (M = 3.34), revealing a critical trust gap brands currently leave unexploited. Instagram emerged as the most effective platform for brand trust generation (M = 4.11), outperforming television (M = 3.82) in a statistically significant ANOVA (F = 9.43, p < 0.001). Younger consumers aged 18–25 showed the highest brand trust responsiveness (M = 4.18; χ² = 14.87, p = 0.005). Endorser controversy was identified as the most universally recognized brand trust risk, with 76.6% of respondents agreeing that cricketer misconduct reduces their confidence in associated brands. A total of 58.3% reported definite or likely purchase intention following influencer exposure. All five hypotheses are accepted at the five percent level. Findings offer actionable guidance for brand managers on endorser selection, content format, platform allocation, and risk management within IPL’s commercial ecosystem.