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Tag: Cheteshwar Pujara

  • Phorce Club joins forces with Cheteshwar Pujara to popularise Pickleball in India

    Phorce Club joins forces with Cheteshwar Pujara to popularise Pickleball in India

    MUMBAI: Phorce Club, a pioneering company building the Pickleball ecosystem in India, has appointed former Indian cricket stalwart Cheteshwar Pujara as its brand ambassador.

    As Pickleball rapidly emerges as one of the world’s fastest-growing sports, Phorce Club aims to lead its adoption nationwide. Pujara, known for his focus, discipline, and consistency on the cricket field, embodies the qualities the brand seeks to inspire across households, combining professional grit with everyday fitness.

    Phorce Club operates across the full spectrum of the sport, from designing and manufacturing equipment, to developing accessible Pickleball courts, and organising national tournaments and leagues to foster skill, engagement, and community. The company is led by founders Sujay Jairaj, Premal Shah, and Heman Ajmera, whose combined expertise drives grassroots participation, business foresight, and strategic sustainability.

    Phorce Club, co-founder, Premal Shah, said, “Sport is more than fitness; it is a pathway to resilience, community, and collective growth. Cheteshwar Pujara embodies the Phorce mindset: focus, determination, and strength. With his support, we aim to take Pickleball beyond recreation and inspire every Indian to embrace both physical vitality and mental resilience.”

    “The brand’s philosophy resonates deeply with me, true strength lies in persistence, focus, and collective growth. I’m delighted to be associated with Phorce Club. Together, we want to encourage people across India to push their boundaries and discover the Phorce within,” Pujara added.

    Phorce Club plans to roll out nationwide campaigns, community-building initiatives, motivational content series, and Phorce Clubs in major cities, serving as hubs for fitness, recreation, and networking. Partnerships with schools and NGOs will expand Pickleball access to underprivileged children, reflecting the brand’s belief that sport is both a right and a catalyst for empowerment.

     

  • Sony Sports Network gears up for epic India-England showdown

    Sony Sports Network gears up for epic India-England showdown

    MUMBAI: Sony Sports Network is swinging for the fences this summer with its all-out broadcast of the India tour of England, starting 20 June 2025. With a refreshed Indian side stepping into the cauldron of English conditions and legends in the commentary box, the five-Test series promises fireworks on and off the pitch.

    From Headingley to The Oval, all five matches will be broadcast live across Sony Sports Ten channels, in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Whether you’re a cricket purist or a casual fan, there’s something in store—served up with regional flavour and expert insight.

    Bringing the heat off the field is Sony’s formidable Extraaa Innings panel, featuring a who’s who of cricket royalty. In English, viewers can expect sharp analysis from Sunil Gavaskar, Cheteshwar Pujara, Michael Vaughan, Nasser Hussain, Mike Atherton, Harsha Bhogle, and Sanjana Ganesan. Hindi viewers will be bowled over by Ajay Jadeja, Irfan Pathan, Ashish Nehra, Saba Karim, RP Singh, and more.

    Regional commentary comes courtesy of  Tamil and Telugu stalwarts like Hemang Badani,Bharat Arun, WV Raman,Venkatapathy Raju, and Rakesh Deva, ensuring cricket lovers from Chennai to Hyderabad get front-row seats in their mother tongue.

    With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli recently retired, a new generation led by Shubman Gill will carry India’s hopes. The historical odds aren’t in their favour—India has only won three Test series in England, in 1971, 1986 and 2007, each under a new skipper. But the signs are there for another fairytale run.

    It’s youth vs experience, tradition vs transition—and Sony Sports Network is pulling out all the stops to bring every ball, byte, and boundary to fans across the country. Game on.

  • Test and furious India heads to England with grit glory and a new guard

    Test and furious India heads to England with grit glory and a new guard

    MUMBAI: It’s no longer just about technique and turf, it’s about taming old ghosts with new fire. Sony Sports Network is set to bring viewers the cricketing showdown of the year, the India tour of England 2025, a five-Test epic that kicks off June 20. Played on iconic English grounds like Lord’s, The Oval, and Old Trafford, the series carries weight not just on the scoreboard, but in the psyche of Indian cricket.

    What makes this tour doubly dramatic? It’s the first major Test series in a post-Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli era. With a fresh captain and a young, fearless squad at the helm, Team India is ready to challenge a century-long struggle India has only clinched 3 out of 19 Test series in England. This time, they arrive armed with swagger, skill, and a new spirit: ‘Naya India, Dhaakad India’.

    “The India tour of England will be a ‘test’ in the truest sense of the word… With ‘Naya India, Dhaakad India’, we are celebrating the courage and determination of this new generation… Sony Sports Network aims to rally the nation behind Team India as they embark on this crucial Test series,” said Sony Pictures Networks India chief revenue officer for distribution & international business and head for sports business Rajesh Kaul.

    Adding his voice to the call is Cheteshwar Pujara, who noted, “With a young and dynamic squad, this tour represents a significant turning point for Indian cricket… I look forward to witnessing how this group rises to the occasion.”

    For Irfan Pathan, the series isn’t just about stats, it’s about seizing the stage: “Ground Tumhara, Jeet Hamari perfectly captures the fearless attitude… I am confident this team has the talent and determination to take on the toughest challenges.”

    To amplify the buzz, Sony Sports Network has launched ‘Ground Tumhara, Jeet Hamari’, a fiery, animated campaign packed with emotion and edge. One standout film features iconic captains Ajit Wadekar, Kapil Dev, and Rahul Dravid reflecting on their rare Test triumphs on English soil reminding fans just how elusive victory here has been.

    Another short, ‘Fury in Harmony – Bumrah’, taps into Jasprit Bumrah’s explosive spell from the 2020-21 series, reinforcing the visceral thrill of red-ball cricket. And in a not-yet-aired third film titled ‘Kasam Paida Karne Wale Ki’, set to the iconic 1984 Bollywood song, cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan join forces with English stars like Mark Wood and Harry Brook to dramatise the rivalry and resistance India faces in England.

    With more than just points on the line, this tour is a statement of intent from a resurgent Indian side determined to rewrite Test history on England’s toughest pitches.

    Catch every ball, every twist, and every cheer Live starting 20 June 2025, only on Sony Sports Network. Because this time, the turf might be theirs but the win? That’s ours to take.

  • Cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara joins FantasyDangal as brand ambassador

    Cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara joins FantasyDangal as brand ambassador

    Mumbai: Fantasy sports platform FantasyDangal has announced the onboarding of cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara as its brand ambassador. With the collaboration, Pujara will appear in upcoming campaigns and promote FantasyDangal as an established fantasy sports platform.

    Pujara is the second-fastest Indian to reach 1,000 test runs. He has scored 6,792 runs in 96 Tests, including three double centuries and 18 centuries. In India’s first Test Series victory on Australian territory, his three hundreds helped him win the Man of the Series title. He has been a pillar of the Indian batting order for the most of the past ten years.

    A batsman of rare disposition, with his love for grinding down attacks, Pujara has been India’s preferred one-down batsman for years. He is also known for his unbelievable attributes of dependability and trustworthiness in the Indian cricket scene. Hence, the partnership between the batting stalwart and FantasyDangal will bring an influx of sports enthusiasts to the platform and further cement the platform’s position as one of the country’s most trustworthy and user-friendly fantasy sports platforms.

    The company has also launched a customer loyalty programme, under which participants in fantasy sports are eligible to take entirely sponsored trips outside India for free. In addition to the numerous benefits associated with playing on FantasyDangal, users also enjoy the benefits of lightning-fast withdrawals to enjoy their gameplay.

    Speaking on his appointment, Pujara commented, “Sports enthusiasts are increasingly embracing fantasy sports in the country. With FantasyDangal, you are not just playing for entertainment but also learning how to master fantasy sports. As a brand ambassador, I am excited to collaborate with such a dynamic company.”

    As a fast-developing fantasy sports platform with over two million current active users, FantasyDangal aims to become India’s next-door online fantasy sports paradise. With cricket and kabaddi in its existing catalogue, it plans to add new sports to its repertoire, like football and basketball, in the coming days. Other than classic fantasy, they also have batting, bowling, and innuendo fantasy. The platform provides second innings fantasy with a twist where one needs to select only seven players, which involves strategy compared to selecting eleven players.

    Apart from this, they have a loyalty programme in the industry called the Dangal MVP (most valuable player) programme, which involves cashbacks, rewards, and fully sponsored international trips for the users. Trips abroad and live match experiences from the stadium make this programme unique, where users can experience seeing matches live on their app.

    FantasyDangal business head Ankit Anand said, “Cheteshwar Pujara has set some unmatched records in global cricket and is regarded as one of the best batsmen. Besides being a world-class player, he also represents trust and reliability in Indian cricket, which ties in seamlessly with FantasyDangal’s ethos. Our connection with him sets us on a journey where we picture perfection due to our never-ending efforts to excel in our field and provide the best experience to our dedicated users.”

  • SBI Life Insurance renews ‘Main Se Hum’ campaign with Cheteshwar Pujara

    SBI Life Insurance renews ‘Main Se Hum’ campaign with Cheteshwar Pujara

    MUMBAI: SBI Life Insurance has renewed its ‘Main Se Hum’  brand campaign, this time featuring cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara and his wife Puja Pujara. The ad created and conceptualised by WATConsult captures Pujara's real life, highlighting his relationship with his life partner.

    The ad shows instinctive moments of love, care, commitment, and happy responsibilities through Pujara's journey and highlights the positive approach of today's consumer towards life insurance. It explores the cricketer's personality off the field and how he puts his family's needs ahead of his own at all times.

    SBI Life #MainSeHum is a 360° campaign that targets consumers across multiple platforms including TV, print, outdoor, along with digital and social media.

  • Hotstar to exclusively live-stream Paytm Ranji Trophy

    Hotstar to exclusively live-stream Paytm Ranji Trophy

    MUMBAI: Underscoring its position as the home of cricket, Hotstar, a video streaming platform, is the exclusive partner for the Paytm Ranji Trophy 2017-18. The Paytm Ranji Trophy, now in its 84th season, kicked off on October 6th with the group stage matches.

    This season of the Trophy is especially exciting as it will see a long list of Indian cricket stars in action – Ravichandran Ashwin, Cheteshwar Pujara, Murali Vijay, Ishant Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, to name a few.

    A Hotstar spokesperson said, “Hotstar has made large strides in providing a breakthrough sports viewing experience with innovations like the Fangraph and Key Moments. While the viewing devices could be individual, these innovations provide a more social and connected sports viewing experience, which raises the bar for a sports enthusiast. We are very excited to be the exclusive home of the Paytm Ranji Trophy this year.”

    “The Ranji Trophy has an illustrious and long history in India, and this season should be especially exciting considering the number of India’s international players that are going to be turning out for their teams. Given Hotstar’s cricket viewing experience, we are very excited to partner with them for this season of the Paytm Ranji Trophy,” added a BCCI spokesperson.

    The tournament, played between 28 teams from across India, moves into quarter finals on 7 December, with the final matches slated between 29 December 2017 and 2 January 2018.

    The tournament will be available, live, exclusively on Hotstar starting from the qualifier matches.