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The standard of living of cricketers has improved a lot over the past few years. Earlier, cricketers made money according to the number of days they played cricket, and their salaries were nowhere near the earnings of the current players. Now, almost every cricket board has a central contract payment structure.
Broadcasters and various companies have injected a lot of cash into the game, which is why the sport has become more popular and glamorous. In the age of social media, cricketers have become style icons for the youth. They are earning more money off the field via their endorsement deals than by playing on the field.
As per Forbes, Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli earned a $2 million salary in 2020. And for the same duration, he made $24 million via endorsement deals. The reason behind his sky-high earnings is his incredible popularity across the world.
While Virat Kohli is the most popular cricketer on social media platforms, other cricketers also have considerable fan-following. As a result, whatever personal or sponsored activities are done by the cricket stars gain a lot of reach.
Speaking of cricket, shoes have been an integral part of the sport. Earlier, the shoes were of simple designs, but now, the shoes' quality and look have changed a lot. The cricket universe has regularly spotted cricketers wearing glamorous shoes, especially in tournaments like the IPL.
In this article today, we will look at some of the unique-looking shoes worn by cricketers on the field.
1. Cricketers have taken the field with different colored shoes
Caribbean all-rounder Andre Russell has made a name for himself by performing well in T20 leagues worldwide. He plays international cricket for the West Indies cricket team, while his IPL team is Kolkata Knight Riders.
In many matches, fans have noted that Russell takes the field with different colored shoes. Some members of the cricket universe believed it was one of his strategies to distract the opposition. However, the same is not the case.
When Russell went to Sri Lanka in 2020 to participate in the Lanka Premier League, he explained the reason behind his unique-looking shoes.
"The shoes is all about you know style, colors and I'm from the Caribbean. So, you know we have different swag. When they sent me these boots, I spoke with Puma and I said 'Hey, I'm gonna give it a little mix because I got both colors in IPL and I said okay I'm just gonna flick it.' You see football boots looking pretty and wonderful so why cricket shoes can't."
Andre Russell believed wearing different colored shoes would allow an individual to express himself better. He concluded by saying there was nothing wrong in mixing and matching as everything is evolving.
Back in IPL 2016, the star players of IPL, in collaboration with Puma, decided to wear different colored shoes like Andre Russell. Yuvraj Singh, AB de Villiers, Dinesh Karthik and many others joined Puma's 'Bold Tricks' collection.
The left shoe of the pair was of a 'pink glow' color, while the right shoe was of a 'signal yellow' color. The intention was to send a message that the players wearing those shoes were the standout players and would 'play louder.'
2. Many cricketers have worn shoes with a message on them
As mentioned earlier, cricketers try their best to make their shoes look unique while playing in the T20 leagues. One of West Indies' star cricketers Dwayne Bravo once decided to take the field in a Big Bash League game with a sticker of 'Hottest Man Alive' on his shoes.
Unfortunately, Bravo lost his wicket before he could face a single ball. He got run out after losing his balance. The West Indian star still defended his selection of shoes as he told Fox Cricket after the match, saying,
“It happens, I’m human. I can’t blame the shoes, I slipped."
Speaking of cricketers wearing shoes with something written on them, Sunrisers Hyderabad's David Warner played an IPL match in 2021 with the name of his daughters written on his shoes. Fans captured a photo of Warner's shoe with Ivy, Indi and Isla written on the back of it.
In the same season, Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma wore customized shoes for a noble cause. One of the highest-paid cricketers in the IPL, Rohit came out to open the innings for his team, wearing shoes with a graphic of the Rhinos as he sent a message to preserve a species on the verge of extinction.
3. Mohammed Shami's torn left shoe
During the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Mohammed Shami gained everyone's attention on social media as he bowled with a torn left shoe. Many fans were confused after seeing Shami bowl with a torn shoe, but Shane Warne stated that the Indian pacer's action would have prompted him to use that strategy.
In Warne's view, because of Shami's high-arm action, his left toe needed more space when he released the delivery. So to avoid any negative impact on his bowling because of the limited space in the shoe, he tore it and allowed his toe some more room.
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