This blog is a part of #BloggerDreamTeam
With great recognition comes greater responsibility, the responsibility to look like a celebrity & carry the mantle of being the role model of millions. Fashion has such an imposing impact on us that there is barely any escape from it. Since the invention of the game of cricket, fashion & cricket has walked hand in hand. So, an arbitrary statement like, ‘fashion has made a distinguished impact on cricket’ is quite lopsided & rather an injustice to one of the most popular games on the planet. The bottom-line remains that they complement each other. The gentleman’s game has hauled its share of the limelight over the period. Quite similar to other eminent faces of popular games like Football & Basketball; cricketers too have managed to stay trendy. Be it overtly or covertly, they have been the agents of trend makers. And looking at the frequent number of matches being played these days, cricketers have become one of the most prominent style icons Indians look up to.
Unlike the introvert & humble cricketers of yesteryears, players today have become more outspoken and make their style statement talk in lieu of them. The likes of Virat, Dhoni & Dhawan are the faces of young generation today. They, quite effortlessly flaunt their fashion brands & the mass follows their footsteps. Dhoni’s ‘Mo-hawk’ or Kohli’s ‘Side-cut’ becomes a trending entity on the Internet easily. Be it SriLanka’s Dilshan or Australia’s Johnson, everyone has been a fashion freak in his own way. For someone like Mitchelle Johnson who literally breathes fire, it becomes quite evident that at some point of time even he needs some extra dosage to charge him up every time dejection starts to surmount & I guess the tattoo on his arm might work as one. Literally if one would start counting the number of fashionable players, the list is never ending. At times, even the most humble of the players isn’t left with a choice other than coating himself with a layer of endorsement. And to look visually apt the player must undergo a strong grating process out of which there emerges an icon.
The commercialization of cricket matches in past decade has changed things significantly. Players are bargained for millions of rupees & with so much glam sham & blitzkrieg induced in the shortest format of the game, the challenge is not only limited to performance but also a catchy demeanor, which ante up the appearance of the player. Today, when a player walks to the center of the ground to play, not only his cricketing skills & team’s victory is at peril, but stuff like ads, endorsement & sponsor partners reputation is also at stake.
Fashion was eminent right from the day this great game was founded, but as any profound finding would have it, the game evolved with passing time. Who would have forgotten the historic shirtless act of Sourav Ganguly after India’s victory over England in the final of NatWest series in 2002? As it turned out, it became the landmark fashion statement & the ardent Indian fans cherish it even today.
Today’s breed of young, adrenaline driven cricketers doesn't prefer to hold things back. They practice the rugged & in-your-face attitude, which believes in giving things back on the spot. Be it optimum performance with the bat & the ball, or opponent’s brand of sledding, they hold nothing to themselves. And to justify the aforesaid they don the same brand of fashion upon their sleeve.
In a way the tattoo or moustache is not just an insignia of fashion, rather these fashion trends mark the awakening of a new breed of youngsters, the youngsters who are confident & ready to take on the world by dictating their own terms & would give away nothing when it comes to the pride of a nation. Yes, with time players have become fashionable for sure!
No comments:
Post a Comment