As the Indian Premier League caravan rolls into the city this week, with Delhi Capitals set to face Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday, a quick scan of sports shops across the city reveals a shift in fan sentiment.
If you’re guessing which jerseys are flying off the shelves, the answer may surprise you. This time, it isn’t just the familiar red of Royal Challengers Bengaluru or Chennai Super Kings’ yellow dominating the racks. Instead, Delhi seems to be backing its own team.
Jerseys in Delhi Capitals’ blue have seen a sharp surge in demand over the past week, say shopkeepers across NCR. “This year, more Delhi Capitals jerseys are selling than anyone else, which honestly isn’t the case every season,” says Rohit Gupta of Gupta Sports in Sarojini Nagar. He adds, “Usually, it’s Virat Kohli’s RCB, MS Dhoni’s CSK or Rohit Sharma’s MI jerseys that top sales.”
Within the Delhi camp, certain players are driving the trend. Jerseys of key players, KL Rahul and Axar Patel are emerging as clear favourites. “There’s definitely a craze for KL Rahul, and Axar Patel as well,” says Kunal Priyal of Priyal Sports in Sarita Vihar, adding, “But Rahul is leading. We’ve sold close to 75 jerseys in the last week alone. In fact, we’re already out of stock and waiting for fresh supply.”
For fans, the jersey is as much a part of the experience as the match itself. Rakshit Madan, a first-year Delhi University student, says he has bought jerseys not just for himself but for his entire friend group. “I’m from Jaipur, but now that I’m studying in Delhi, we’ve created a WhatsApp group of DC fans across campus,” he says and adds, “I’ve already bought around 10 jerseys for my friends. The plan is to all go for the match wearing the same KL Rahul jersey and click photos together.”
{{/usCountry}}For fans, the jersey is as much a part of the experience as the match itself. Rakshit Madan, a first-year Delhi University student, says he has bought jerseys not just for himself but for his entire friend group. “I’m from Jaipur, but now that I’m studying in Delhi, we’ve created a WhatsApp group of DC fans across campus,” he says and adds, “I’ve already bought around 10 jerseys for my friends. The plan is to all go for the match wearing the same KL Rahul jersey and click photos together.”
{{/usCountry}}In Gurugram, retailers are even pushing the home team’s colours with promotions. One store is offering a free Delhi Capitals jersey with the purchase of two others. “Ab hum Dilli ke hain, toh apni team ko support bhi karenge,” says store owner Ranjit Sharma, adding, “No matter which jerseys someone buys, we’re giving a DC jersey free. It’s our way of backing the team.”
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