THE PLAY CLANS

TIGERS ON THE PROWL:

He’s best known as Salman Khan’s shadow. Gurmeet Singh Jolly aka Shera,the actor’s brawny bodguard who runs a security company called Tigers,has been roped in by Rajasthan Royals to secure their players this season. Tigers has bouncers that shadow many Bollywood celebrities. Making their debut in the cricketing arena,the Tigers team will look after skipper Rahul Dravid and others.

TRUE COLOURS:

Since IPL began,changes in the teams’ gear have been constant. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have progressed from all-black jerseys to outfits in purple and gold,while the Deccan Chargers have swapped their muddy beige and black lapel uniforms for one-colour (dark blue) outfits. KKR,along with Kings XI Punjab,have also made changes to their logos and branding. Commenting on the new logo,Colonel Arvinder Singh,COO,Kings XI Punjab,said,“The new Kings XI Punjab is all about winning,a determination that now reflects in the new logo. Like the lions in the logo,the team will fight a fierce battle and prove to be the kings of the IPL jungle.” On the other hand,Delhi Daredevils players look dishy in their red and blue gear. Red is also the colour of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB),albeit with streaks of blue and yellow. Interestingly,the RCB team wore green jerseys during a match against Kochi Tuskers last year with an aim to spread environmental awareness. Pune Warriors India are the latest IPL team to get an all-new look. Shedding black and silver,the team gear is now in bright blue. Even though teams deny astrology has anything to do with their changed jersey colours,the phrase ‘Men in blue’ takes on a whole new meaning with IPL.

THE GOOGLY:

There are numerous team sponsorships that do the rounds during IPL— from airlines to cola drinks. But here’s a googly. Washington Apples,a fruit brand available in India,has announced its partnership with the two-time IPL champion team,Chennai Super Kings. The apple will be their ‘official fruit’ for the upcoming IPL season. Can the team once again munch their way to victory,we’ll see.

Spreading Cheer:

Cheerleading and IPL go hand in hand. Skimpily clad cheer girls with pom-poms have been on the front foot for many teams,but last year saw the debut of Cheer Queens by Pune Warriors India. Dressed in seven types of ethnic Indian costumes,the Cheer Queens performed to Indian music. But looks like they have competition this year. As part of their ‘New Knights. New Dawn’ campaign,KKR are putting together their team of cheer girls who,dressed in Bangla saris,will perform to Rabindrasangeet. Meanwhile,official broadcaster Max is retaining the Miami Dolphin cheer girls on their set,with the addition of stand-up comedy acts and gigs at regular intervals to attract more viewers. “Cricket being a national obsession,we hope to deliver the best of entertainment to the millions of cricket lovers in the country,” says Neeraj Vyas,EVP & Business Head,Max.

TICKET COUNTER:

All teams have started online ticket sales,with some of them extending cash-on-delivery options as well. For details,log on to http://www.iplt20.com. The opening night tickets are priced at Rs 1,500 onwards.