Some biggies—batsmen and bowlers—are stylish effortlessly, while some put in a lot of effort to stand out on the field (well, we are sure your head is already buzzing with a few names). to know more PS BHAVANA decided to question cricket buffs
We know Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi was synonymous with understated luxury via Indo-ethnic or extreme-western silhouettes, simple charm and absolute intellect, while Imran Khan could make women swoon with his floppy hair, smart shirts with open-neck suits, and suave mannerisms. There are numerous others who shook the cricketing world with their fashion dos or traits. Style in the cricket celebrities’ world, back then, was all about mixing and catering to identity, image and persona in a good proportion, and not just about flaunting pure fashion in the name of brands. Being true to their off-field personalities was the key. In today’s world, although there are a bunch of cricketers who purely endorse brands or sport luxe fashion tags for the heck of it, there are those who boast an old-world, individualistic sense of style, but with a radical edge. For instance, names of Kevin Pietersen and Dale Steyn pop up when one thinks of intricate tattoos; Lasith Malinga and M S Dhoni come to mind when we recall experimental hairstyles; and Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh jump in with glee for their glossy sunglasses. For more, read on to know what real fans said.
Conversation starters
Wrogn, a brand launched in November 2014 by United Sportsbiz Pvt. Ltd. (USPL), is Virat Kohli’s fashion line that is inspired by his distinctive sense of style, enormous youth appeal, and is an extension of his bold and dynamic personality. It is available on e-commerce website myntra.com, and via Shopper’s Stop outlets across the country.
Deepika Padukone sported the new Nike Team India Cricket Jersey—a photograph by Bharat Sikka. This series was a part of Nike’s campaign—#bleedbluestories—that encourages Indians to tell their tales with the likes of celebrities Chef Vikas Khanna, Kapil Dev and others. Their takes:
Deepika Padukone: “As a cricket fan and active athlete, I felt a great sense of pride when I first put on the national team jersey. Cricket is the biggest sport in India and the passion for the game is incredible across the country,” said Padukone. “Like every cricket fan, I look forward to great success for Team India in 2015.”
Kapil Dev: “Passion. You must have passion to play for your country, yourself and your families. This passion is what carried me through. When we won in 1983, the win was not just mine. It was ours. It was all of India’s. To the next generation of athletes, dream big and when passion takes you onto the national stage, that is when you #bleeedblue.”
Pranav Mishra (designer and model): “I believe that sport can change and empower lives. It can do something more than it is meant to do. That is how I #bleedblue.”
VoxPop Clothing, a brand that produces licensed merchandise of superheroes, has introduced an assortment of limited-edition, graphic T-shirts (INR 419 or INR 599; www.voxpopclothing.com) in blue, black, green, white, yellow and more with iconic cricket moments for cricket fans.
Abhiroop Sen, digital projects, Bengaluru
“Indian Opener, Shikhar Dhawan is known for his moustache; Chris Gayle and Lasith Malinga for their hairstyles; Tillakaratne Dilshan for his beard; and South African Spinner Paul Adams, who has a strange way of bowling, for his tonsured head and spunk.”
Rohit Patnekar, works in an MNC and classic car enthusiast, Amsterdam
(The Netherlands)
“Greg Matthews… the first bowler to wear his cap the other way round while bowling. And Mohinder Amarnath used to bat with a red handkerchief in his pocket!”
Amol Ghate, market research firm Head, Dubai
“Team India—it could be Virat Kohli. He is usually very stylishly turned out with good hairstyle, trimmed beard and all, plus his clothes are also fashionable. Kevin Peterson from England has sported Mohawk cut at times and also has many tattoos. So has Brendon Mcculum from New Zealand. He has a very good physique, too. Chris Gayle from West Indies sports shoulder-length hair, and is tall and rugged-looking. Then you have Mitchell Johnson comes with his old-style, bushy moustache that goes well with his ferocious bowling. It is called a handle-bar moustache. Kumar Sangakkara from Sri Lanka is known to be very stylish in a more classic sort of a way.”