Sunil Gavaskar (L) has an interest in clothes and personal upkeep; Hardik Pandya (R), on the other hand, boasts of a screaming wardrobe
From the days of wearing fedoras and suits to today’s bling and white sneakers, cricketers and their sense of fashion — like the gentleman’s game — have evolved over the years.
The comedian Hasan Minhaj recently referred to some old cricket footage as a catalogue for Brooks Brothers. It was an apt description of cricket’s original aesthetic — sweaters and whites, country club and tea.
Cut to Hardik Pandya. Had Minhaj met the all-rounder, whose wardrobe seems directed by Dharma Productions, he would have grasped in an instant how much cricket, cricketers and their bank balance have changed. Sometimes for the better, sometimes not so.
Like it or not, Pandya is the style symbol of the Indian team, which flew to England for the World Cup in slim navy suits and tan shoes, which would have earned a nod of appreciation from David Beckham, who designed a similar outfit for the England World Cup football squad in 2002. When not in uniform, though, Pandya flaunts his screaming wardrobe, all labels and bling. Considering he is 25 and successful, he must be allowed that.
The Indian coach Ravi Shastri turned 57 on May 27. The last time India won a World Cup in England, the year was 1983, and Shastri a 21-year-old on the cusp of stardom. Two years later, he would emerge the champion of champions in the World Championship of Cricket and win an Audi. Shastri was a bit like Pandya, but less loud — a tall and lean all-rounder who gained prominence early and openly enjoyed his popularity with women. Well-dressed cricketers (and the airport look) are not modern phenomena.
Shastri was a bit like Pandya, but less loud — a tall and lean all-rounder who gained prominence early and openly enjoyed his popularity with women
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In fact, many would argue that players of earlier eras had better taste in clothes. Overcoats and hats were the norm and casual dressing was not an option. A picture from India’s tour to England in 1946 lends credence to this theory. It shows Lala Amarnath, Nawab of Pataudi Sr and Shute Banerjee on arrival, looking dapper in coats and fedoras. Teams had just started travelling by air then. And a flight, or even a voyage by sea, were occasions to dress. The three Indians landed in Bournemouth after flying from Delhi via Karachi and Cairo.
Sunil Gavaskar, a great batsman with an interest in clothes and personal upkeep, is inclined to believe that cricketers of earlier generations had more swag. For one, he feels the World Cup 1983 team is better looking than MS Dhoni’s 2011 champions. Secondly, Gavaskar’s childhood idol, ML Jaisimha, was one of the early epitomes of cool. ‘Jai’, known for his bold cricket, handkerchief around the neck and cigarette-coated voice, once returned champagne sent to him by actress Suchitra Sen, asking her to deliver it herself.
When it comes to the blend of charisma and cricketing feats, no one can match Imran Khan and Viv Richards. Both made a deep impact on the World Cup. Richards was part of two winning campaigns for the West Indies, while Imran inspired Pakistan to victory in 1992. Whatever the current generation does, it is unlikely that Imran and Viv will be knocked off their throne.
Beyond Cricket: Meet Sachin Tendulkar, The Entrepreneur
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The God of cricket, Master Blaster for millions of people worldwide, Sachin Tendulkar is an icon. He has to his credit 18,426 runs in One-Day Inetrnational cricket and 15,921 runs in Test cricket. There is so much more to the legend other than just his fantastic on-field performance. Never one to lose sight of his goal, Tendulkar has been able to establish himself as a coveted brand and an entrepreneur. Considering Tendulkar’s illustrious career and multiple endorsements, his estimated net worth is around Rs 118 crores.
As the sporting legend turns a year older, here's a look at his entrepreneurial achievements.
The God of cricket, Master Blaster for millions of people worldwide, Sachin Tendulkar is an icon. He has to his credit 18,426 runs in One-Day Inetrnational cricket and 15,921 runs in Test cricket. Th..
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Sachin Tendulkar began his journey as an entrepreneur by opening a restaurant in Mumbai in 2002. He partnered with celebrity hotelier Sanjay Narang, and his first eatery was named 'Tendulkar's'. Soon after, he opened another one, 'Sachin's', in Mumbai and Bengaluru. Although, the cricketing star took keen interest in setting up the ventures, he did not taste success and had to eventually shut down both by 2007. However, never one to give up, Tendulkar followed through with other business ventures.
(In Pic: Sachin and wife Dr. Anjali Tendulkar are seen together at an event.)
Sachin Tendulkar began his journey as an entrepreneur by opening a restaurant in Mumbai in 2002. He partnered with celebrity hotelier Sanjay Narang, and his first eatery was named 'Tendulkar's'. Soon..
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The Future Group's Big Bazaar launched a range of personal care products named 'Sach', inspired by Sachin Tendulkar. The cricketer is also a stakeholder in the joint venture between Future Group and the Manipal Group, which has under its aegis a variety of products in the health supplement, sports goods, fitness equipment and lifestyle accessories categories.
(In Pic: Sachin Tendulkar with Mukesh Ambani and his son Akash during the Mumbai Indians practice match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.)
The Future Group's Big Bazaar launched a range of personal care products named 'Sach', inspired by Sachin Tendulkar. The cricketer is also a stakeholder in the joint venture between Future Group and ..
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The cricketer had 7.5 per cent stake in this UAE-based travel portal, apart from also being its brand ambassador. Despite being associated with such a big brand, the portal failed to deliver and eventually Tendulkar decided to exit from the partnership. After 5 years of being associated with the brand, he retired with Rs 25 crore, one crore for being the brand ambassador for each year and Rs 20 crore at the time of exit.
(In Pic: Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli during the prize distribution of the 1st T20 Mumbai League final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.)
The cricketer had 7.5 per cent stake in this UAE-based travel portal, apart from also being its brand ambassador. Despite being associated with such a big brand, the portal failed to deliver and even..
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Like we said, you can't take sports away from the God of cricket. Tendulkar may have stopped playing, but he is now the co-owner of the Indian Super League (ISL) franchise Kerala Blasters FC, Badminton Premier League team Bengaluru Blasters, and Master Blaster's magic in Kabaddi. As a co-owner of ISL, the former Indian cricket team captain had been associated with the club since its inception in 2014. However, in September 2018, Tendulkar sold off his stake in ISL after an association of 4 years.
Like we said, you can't take sports away from the God of cricket. Tendulkar may have stopped playing, but he is now the co-owner of the Indian Super League (ISL) franchise Kerala Blasters FC, Badmint..
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Getting into the business of sports stimulation was a natural choice for the master blaster. Smaaash Entertainment, founded in 2009, provides sports simulation tech based on cricket, football, racing, and leisure activities, like that of a lounge, spa, arcade gaming. Tendulkar is one of the biggest shareholders of the company which was founded by Shripal Morakhia, the man behind Sharekhan. Last year, the company managed to raise Rs 25 crore from US investments.
Getting into the business of sports stimulation was a natural choice for the master blaster. Smaaash Entertainment, founded in 2009, provides sports simulation tech based on cricket, football, racing..
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This apparel brand for men is a joint venture between Tendulkar and Arvind Fashion Brands Limited and was launched in May, 2016. The legend who admits to take fashion tips from his son Arjun, who is a budding cricketer, wanted to bring something for his fans which was stylish. Last year he expanded his brand's presence globally, by foraying into the US and UK markets. He plans to make headway into women's wear as well, however he hasn't set a timeline for it yet.
This apparel brand for men is a joint venture between Tendulkar and Arvind Fashion Brands Limited and was launched in May, 2016. The legend who admits to take fashion tips from his son Arjun, who is ..
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SRT Sports Management Pvt. Ltd, a sports management company is managed by the cricketer and his wife, Dr. Anjali Tendulkar. The cricketer himself manages all commercial engagements and social initiatives. The company was launched in 2016.
(In Pic: Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar meets with students of a slum school in Sewari, Mumbai.)
SRT Sports Management Pvt. Ltd, a sports management company is managed by the cricketer and his wife, Dr. Anjali Tendulkar. The cricketer himself manages all commercial engagements and social initiat..
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Tendulkar and Smartron joined hands to bring together the srt.phone. The phone represents Tendulkar's dependability and is exclusively available on Flipkart. Available in two storage variants, the Smartron Sachin Tendulkar phone comes in Titanium Grey colour. The 32GB variant priced at Rs. 12,999, and the 64GB variant priced at Rs. 13,999.
Tendulkar and Smartron joined hands to bring together the srt.phone. The phone represents Tendulkar's dependability and is exclusively available on Flipkart. Available in two storage variants, the Sm..
