~ FMX daredevil Robbie Maddison jumped off a five-storey building to present the jersey to the stunned Royals players at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium ~
Jaipur, 15th March 2022: You can expect some fireworks from the Rajasthan Royals players when they take field for the 2022 season. But before that, they were treated to some pyrotechnics. FMX legend Robbie Maddison was the star of a jersey reveal project which showcased the colourful city of Jaipur in a whole new light.
The Australian daredevil Robbie Maddison was given the task of delivering the latest Rajasthan Royals’ jersey at their home ground, the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. With the package secured in his backpack, Robbie zipped past some of the most iconic locations in the city, like the Amer Fort, Patrika Gate and Jal Mahal Lake. After weaving past obstacles and traffic at breakneck speed, Robbie was stopped at the Stadium gates by security guards. But he managed to dodge security and flew his FMX bike over barriers making his way to the cricket field the only way he knew how – from the roof! The Red Bull athlete rode up the five-storey administration building at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, took a deep breath and performed what he described as “a world first” – he launched his bike off the building and onto the cricket field, where he successfully delivered the package to the Rajasthan Royals players. To watch the unique jersey reveal, visit redbull.in/rajasthanroyals
“It was really amazing,” said Royals’ captain Sanju Samson, who signed in for the special delivery. “Robbie’s amazing stunts were something that I’ve seen for the very first time in person, having only watched previously on TV. (Would I ever try this sport?) Maybe I’ll try it out for myself also once I’ve stopped playing cricket (laughs).”
Yuzvendra Chahal was left awestruck by Robbie’s final stunt. “I’m very impressed with the whole concept behind the reveal, seeing the stunts from the big man, I was just astonished to see how he’s able to do these so fearlessly. Who does things like these?” he asked incredulously.
Meanwhile, Jake Lush McCrum, Chief Executive Officer, Rajasthan Royals, reacted, “We are delighted to present the new official jersey of the Royals for the 2022 season. The jersey is inspired by traditional Rajasthani Leheriya patterns, given a contemporary twist. We wanted to create a jersey that our fans will wear year-round and I’m confident we’ve achieved that with this design. With regards to the jersey launch, each year we work with our long-term partner, Red Bull, to come up with a really special and memorable event. I think the team has taken it to another level for 2022! I doubt there has ever been a reveal like this in the history of sport and I hope it excites sports fans around the world, while giving them an insight into the beautiful state of Rajasthan.”
For Robbie, too, it had been a leap of faith. Though the 40-year-old has done some death-defying stunts around the world, it was the first time that he launched himself off such a great height. “This film is a creative piece, and we had a challenging environment to do it in, but we managed to get it done,” Robbie said. “Every piece was challenging. A lot of people around. And a lot of people who were inquisitive. No one was there of course to cause any harm, but just having so many people around it made it challenging. The big highlight for me was coming off the roof of the Rajasthan Royals administration building.”
“Jumping off the five-storey building at the arena was definitely challenging. It’s never really been done before on a motorcycle, so it’s kind of like a world first,” said Robbie.
Once Robbie had handed them the package, the players quickly tried on the new threads for the first time. “The new jersey looks very cool,” Samson said of the jersey. “We have added a different element to it, and I’m proud that as a franchise, we’re able to promote our home state’s renowned textile patterns.”
While a vibrant pink remains the dominant colour, it is contrasted with a sturdy blue on the sleeves. The two colours on the kit are significant for Rajasthan Royals and are part of what the franchise stands for. Pink – which makes up the front and the piping on the collar and sleeves – represents the strong women of the state, and the admiral blue – on the main collar and sleeves – stands for poise.
The Royals have also found a novel way to pay tribute to the ancient textile industry of the state through the new design. One of the princely states in pre-independence India, Rajasthan is historically famous for its fabrics and intricate designs and embroidery. The state’s famous textile industry, however, is diminishing fast as modern machinery and quick-moving fashion takes over. To honour, and hopefully revive, the industry, the Rajasthan Royals decided to feature a design on their jersey called the Leheriya, which is a trademark of the state’s textile industry. Leheriya, which translates to wave in English, is an art form that dates back to the 17th century. The unique tie-and-dye pattern results in diagonal or chevron striped patterns, which represent the shifting sands of Rajasthan’s deserts. The distinctive ‘wave’ patterns, usually on brightly coloured cloth, form through a technique called resist dyeing.
The Royals x Red Bull association has given the fans some excitingly unique jersey reveals in the past few years. In 2020, the Spanish Skydiving and Red Bull Wingsuit Athlete Dani Roman jumped out of a plane, several thousand feet above the Palm Islands in Dubai, flew over the awe-struck Rajasthan Royals players as he left a strew of smoke through the air, parachuted onto the beach and dropped off a bag full of Rajasthan Royals 2020 jerseys for the players to grab. In 2021, Rajasthan Royals got together with Red Bull India to put on a splendid spectacular 3D projection and light show at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium finding a novel way to reveal their jersey for that season. This has been a reflection of how the franchise’s association with Red Bull is helping them move forward at rapid pace, bringing out new ideas and helping the team grow.
The newly kitted Rajasthan Royals will begin their 2022 campaign on March 29.
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