MUMBAI: Kent RO Systems, the water purifier brand, has earmarked a budget of Rs 50 crore to spend on promotions during the 11th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

The company has come on board as the title sponsor of Kings Xi Punjab, as well as signed up as the powered by sponsor of the wrap around show, Extra Innings, on Star Sports. 

Kent RO Systems chairman Mahesh Gupta feels that cricket being the most powerful medium in India, and IPL its most spectacular vehicle,  the partnership will certainly help the brand to connect with sports lovers, not just in India but also in other parts of the world. 

On partnership with Kings XI, he said, “Through this synergic partnership, Kent RO and Kings XI teamed up to offer a unique platform with an objective of engaging with customers and the youth of today around one of the biggest and passionate cricket tournaments, the IPL. Through this association we look forward to engaging with our audience through one of the most popular sport in India." 

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New Delhi: Gearing up for the 11th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) on Tuesday unveiled the official jersey for this season. The jersey was launched in a joint press conference with title sponsor, Kent RO Systems Ltd. Winning the Golden Peacock Eco Innovation award for its contribution in developing innovative water purifying technology and preventing environment degradation in 2007, Kent RO Systems Ltd. is a household essential, providing a large variety of healthcare products such as water purifiers, air purifiers, cooking appliances and vacuum cleaners.
HIGHLIGHTS

• The two lions on the jersey represent the legendary Maharaj Ranjit Singh, and the erstwhile Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh.
• Kent will occupy their place on the front of the KXIP Jersey this year

Kent will occupy their place on the front of the KXIP Jersey this year, establishing their position as a market leader and cementing their space in the minds of fans this season of the IPL.”We are happy to be primary sponsors to Kings XI Punjab. It is a new team and is expected to perform well and we sincerely wish them to win this year. This association will help us connect to Kings XI Punjab fans,” said CMD, Kent RO Systems Ltd., Mahesh Gupta.

Present at the launch were co-owner, KXIP, Mohit Burman; co-owner, KXIP, Ness Wadia; director – cricket operations, KXIP, Virender Sehwag; captain, KXIP, Ravichandran Ashwin; CEO, KXIP, Satish Menon and CMD, Kent RO Systems Ltd., Dr. Mahesh Gupta.”We’re ecstatic to have Kent on board as a title sponsor. The brand has a strong connect with families across the country and ties in perfectly with our core audience. It’s the start to a great journey that lies ahead of us,” said Ness Wadia.

“Our jersey may have evolved over the years but our traditional red is our identity that fans relate to. Tickets for our home matches will be live shorty and I urge our fans to come out cheering in large numbers to drive our squad to victory,” said Mohit Burman. The KXIP jersey boasts of the traditional red and silver colours, with the famous crest logo sitting proudly on the left chest.

Symbolically, the two lions on it represent the legendary Maharaj Ranjit Singh, and the erstwhile Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh. The latter was the first Indian to lead an Indian cricket team to Lord’s in 1911 and was instrumental in setting up of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Together the two lions depict the strength and fierceness of the Punjabi and the desire to excel in cricket.

Ravichandran Ashwin has vowed to be at his unpredictable best in his first stint as IPL captain - for Kings XI Punjab - in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. The offspinner stated that he's looking forward to the challenge and wouldn't shy away from consulting Yuvraj Singh or Virender Sehwag, both of whom have led sides before in the tournament.

"It is a new challenge. You'll not be able to predict my next move. All players you think are going to open, will play in the middle order & all the middle-order batsmen will open. I'll try and stay as unpredictable as possible," he told ANI on Tuesday (March 13).

Ashwin, who led Tamil Nadu to the Vijay Hazare title in 2009, was named captain after Sehwag, the team mentor, wanted a bowler to be at the helm of affairs. Ashwin reckoned he'll try to use all his experience to be proficient in the role. " For me, it is all about incorporating whatever I have learnt over the years," he said at the jersey launch.

"I have played under a lot of captains including Viru paaji. My focus is on being strategically ahead of other captains.

"Both Yuvi and Viru paaji have been my captains at different stages of my career. I played under Yuvi paaji in my first Challenger Trophy and he has played a big role in whoever I am today. Learning from experiences and taking advice is something I am never averse to."

At the close of the recent player auction, it appeared as if Kings XI Punjab missed a big trick by not recruiting a specialist wicketkeeper. It is likely that the side will throw the keeping gloves to part-timer KL Rahul, or even Aaron Finch, as per coach Brad Hodge. However, Ashwin felt not having a full-time wicketkeeper isn't going to hurt his side.

"Lots of teams have weaknesses and every team will try and overcome that. Most people see this (lack of specialist wicket-keeper) as a weakness for KXIP. On an average, in T20 games, every keeper gathers only six balls. So if our keeper can take those six balls, we will be fine," he said.

Kings XI Punjab begin their new decade in the IPL against Delhi Daredevils in the national capital on April 8.

Gearing up for the 11th season of the Indian Premier League, Kings XI Punjab with their title sponsors Kent RO have launched the official jersey for the Indian Premier League season 11.

Kent RO, winner of the Golden Peacock Eco Innovation Award for its contribution in developing innovative water purifying technology and preventing environment degradation, will occupy the commercial space on the front of the KXIP playing jersey.

The joint Press conference in the Capital was attended by the KXIP co-owner Mohit Burman, CEO Satish Menon, Virender Sehwag, captain Ravichandran Ashwin along with the Kent RO chairman Dr Mahesh Gupta.

“We are delighted to be primary sponsors to Kings XI Punjab. It is a new team and is expected to perform well and we sincerely wish them to win this year. This association will help us connect to Kings XI Punjab fans,” said Gupta, whose company has committed ₹16 crore for one year of the KXIP title sponsorship.
“We are ecstatic to have Kent RO on board as a title sponsor. The brand has a strong connect with the families across the country and ties in perfectly with our core audience. It is the start of a great journey that lies ahead of us,” added team co-owner Mohit Burman.

The KXIP Jersey boasts of the traditional red and silver colours, with the famous crest logo sitting proudly on the left chest. Symbolically, the two lions on it represent the legendary Maharana Ranjit Singh, and erstwhile Maharaja of Patiala, Bhupinder Singh. The latter was the first Indian to lead an Indian cricket team to Lord’s in 1911 and was instrumental in setting up of the BCCI. Together the two lions depict the strength and fierceness of the Punjabis and the desire to excel in cricket.

Ness Wadia, who was also scheduled to attend the jersey launch could not make it due to personal reason. However, in his message, the KXIP co-owner urged the Punjab fans to come out in big numbers to support the team. “Our jersey may have evolved over the years but our traditional red is our identity that fans relate to. Tickets for our home matches will be live shortly and I urge our fans to come out cheering in large numbers to drive our squad to victory,” said Wadia.
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Meanwhile, the KXIP CEO Satish Menon confirmed to insidesport.co that the franchisee has sold out all its inventory for the 2018 season.