Picture Credit: Twitter/RCB
The UAE-leg of the Indian Premier League got underway with the blockbuster of a clash between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians on Sunday at the Dubai International Stadium. The action will now shift to Abu Dhabi where Royal Challengers Bangalore will be facing the Kolkata Knight Riders. While the RCB franchise are known for their iconic red jersey, they will be donning a special blue coloured dress for the KKR game.
The gesture from the team will be a tribute to the frontline workers who are continuing to work day in and day out to fight the dreaded Coronavirus pandemic. While the team has previously worn the green jersey to support the "Go Green" movement, this is the second special jersey they are donning in the history of the IPL.
It is also being reported that the blue jersey will be auctioned after the match against KKR and the revenue generated will be used for vaccination drives throughout the length and breadth of the country. Earlier, the blue jersey was unveiled by captain Virat Kohli and chairman Prathmesh Mishra.
"This is a different kind of blue colour I'll be sporting. It gives a message and it will be a milestone for RCB," said Kohli at the unveiling ceremony.
The blue jerseys will also have messages on the back to spread awareness in the fight against the pandemic. Post the conclusion of the match against KKR, the jerseys worn by the players will be signed and auctioned to raise funds for the deployment of vaccines in India. The colour of the jersey has been kept as blue to resemble the colour of the PPE kits worn by the frontline workers while on duty.
"India has been battling Covid-19 on a war footing. While vaccination has been going on at a great pace, the frontline workers are the ones bearing the burden of helping us move past this pandemic. We have great respect and admiration for these workers and would like to assist these heroes in our own little way to spread awareness. We are all in this fight together and we need to work together to help humanity move forward," Kohli added.