Cheerleaders go 'local'
As a breakaway from the norm, two IPL franchises, Pune Warriors and Kolkata Knight Riders, have started featuring cheerleaders in Indian attire, showcasing the local culture
Kanishkaa Balachandran
25-Feb-2013
As a breakaway from the norm, two IPL franchises, Pune Warriors and Kolkata Knight Riders, have started featuring cheerleaders in Indian attire, showcasing the local culture. It also keeps the moral police quiet and takes the sensibilities of the Indian viewers into account. Opinions are divided. Shamik Bag in BBC looks at how cheerleading has changed in the IPL since 2008.
From pizza ingredients, music and fashion to automobile engineering, Indian tastes, ethics, political compulsions and needs have gradually been added to the product mix by multinationals. By all indications, even cheerleading at the IPL is no exception.
With the Indian Premier League now in its third week, the Twenty20 versus Test cricket debate continues to rage on. While some pay little attention to the shorter format, there are others who consider the five-day game passé. Dileep Premachandran, weighs the arguments from both sides in The Sunday Guardian, he says, whether it’s Tests, ODIs, T20 or gully cricket. The special players recognise that the basics don't change.
Virat Kohli is the Indian face of Royal Challengers Bangalore, and they certainly don't pay him peanuts. But the riches and fame haven't dimmed his desire an iota when it comes to playing for India. In the final analysis, it's all about that one word – desire. If Pandey doesn't make it, it'll be because he just doesn't want it as badly as Kohli does. As for Kohli, he'd be a star regardless of whether he plays Tests, ODIs, T20 or gully cricket. The special players recognise that the basics don't change.
Kanishkaa Balachandran is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo