There are very few things bigger in cricket than the Indian Premier League. Two months of T20 cricket showcasing the very best players in the world in front of capacity crowds is absolute top-tier content.
Which is why billions are poured into it, and millions paid to the best cricketers for a little over a dozen matches in a season. IPL teams now have really strong and well-populated fanbases, who routinely fill out stadiums just to watch the team practice.
Their team's jersey means a lot to the fans and this season, a number of teams have made changes to their playing kits. Here we rank the jerseys for IPL 2024 teams from best to worst.
1. Chennai Super Kings
The most iconic colour of IPL. Yellow captures the essence of Chennai and the southern Indian region like no other. It has always been that bright, matching the prominence of a franchise that continues to dominate the league while steering clear of intense data analytics and relying more on man management and experience of players.
The camouflage on the shoulders of the jersey is a nod to MS Dhoni and his affinity to the armed forces. It adds a nice touch to a kit that you simply can't miss.
2. Gujarat Titans
A shade of blue so dark its almost black. Gujarat have the sleekest kit in IPL, and they have made it a bit more eye-catching this season with gold accents.
Hardik Pandya won't be seen in these colours, after switching over to Mumbai Indians. Gujarat will also be without star pacer Mohammad Shami, who is out injured. A lot of pressure will be on the young shoulders of Shubman Gill to replicate the success of the past two seasons, where Gujarat were winners and losing finalists.
At least they will have a cool kit to play in.
3. Sunrisers Hyderabad
The most radical jersey in the history of the IPL. Full marks for just trying to pull it off. The design has been brought over from South Africa where Hyderabad's sister franchise, Eastern Cape, first sported this striking design.
There is one problem with the design though – sponsors might not be too happy as their logos can easily get lost, no matter how well they try to highlight it. Even the team logo is difficult to spot.
4. Mumbai Indians
Mumbai have fine-tuned what was already a pretty well-known design – blue with gold highlights on the shoulders and torso. They brought in a shimmering design that many franchises have since tried to emulate.
However, the bigger changes happened off the field as veteran skipper Rohit Sharma was removed from his position and former player Pandya brought in from Gujarat to take over the captain's armband. It has led to friction within the camp as other seniors such as Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav were overlooked.
One thing is for sure, every cricket fan will watch every moment of Mumbai this IPL.
5. Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata have a distinct purple colour that sets them apart and they have held on to it for quite some time.
Their 2024 jersey is sleek with minimal design, leaving most of the torso clutter free. Stripes across the sleeves and around the knee are a good touch. Their fans are called the Purple Army, so you presume they will stick to the colours for some time.
6. Royal Challengers Bangalore
RCB have never won the IPL, but they have a loyal fanbase, one of the most diverse followings in cricket, and also had a jersey that was distinct – black with a dash of red.
This year, for some reason, they have gone with blue and red, almost the exact same colour choice as Delhi Capitals and even Punjab Kings. Half the IPL teams now have kits in similar shades of blue and three also have the colour red prominent. The pattern is classy, but fans are not happy that RCB moved away from their traditional colours. Also, they have dropped Bangalore from their name and adopted the new name of Bengaluru.
7. Delhi Capitals
Another team with a predominantly blue kit. The design elements are refreshing though. The jersey has the map of Delhi across it, while the logos merge well with the kit.
At least blue and red was almost always there in the Delhi jersey, so they might feel a little miffed that RCB have adopted it, too.
8. Rajasthan Royals
Having decided to go with the famous pink colour that represents the city, Rajasthan have made a good effort to highlight the heritage of their region. Apart from the eye-catching colours of Jaipur city, the local 'bandhani' pattern is used across the kit.
The main kit has blue sleeves while a special all pink one has been made to celebrate the role of women.
9. Punjab Kings
There is so much that you can do with an all red kit. But Punjab have never got it right in previous seasons.
They have tried something new this time and have added ... blue. At least they have added a few flames as a visual element. Apparently, white, silver and grey are not allowed. But still, why so much blue?
10. Lucknow Super Giants
They have gone with the same kit as last season. Unfortunately, the design does not help matters either, with a cluster of sponsors clubbed together and colours all over. Aesthetics were probably not high on the priority list there.
Their earlier kit was a very light shade of blue, which really stood out. If only they would bring that back.
