By Joe James
What's the story?
Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar is the latest global icon to take the plunge into the World Pickleball League (WPBL) alongside well as Bollywood actors Rakul Preet Singh and Jackky Bhagani.
Gavaskar and his son, Rohan Gavaskar, have become co-owners of the Dilli Dillwale team, while Singh and Bhagnani have taken ownership of the Hyderabad Superstars.
Gavaskar, 75, said: “Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and I am thrilled to be a part of this exciting journey with Dilli Dillwale. The team embodies the spirit of resilience, teamwork, and global unity – values that resonate deeply with me.
“I am looking forward to the team adding to the 60 gold medals they already have in what promises to be a truly rip-roaring tournament.”
Having a legend of sport like Gavaskar involved, underlines the aim of the WBPL to elevate the profile of pickleball, not just in India, but across the globe.
Ankiti Bose, Founding Partner at Terra-Invest, Team Owner of Dilli Dillwale, said: “Having the Gavaskars join our team as co-owners is a momentous occasion for Smashers and Dilli Dillwale. Their presence adds incredible value, vision and sports legacy that will help us achieve new heights in the World Pickleball League and grow the sport across India.”
Singh and Bhagnani have teamed up with KLO Sports as co-owners of the Hyderabad Superstars team.
The 34-year-old actress is also a co-owner of Tennis Premier League (TPL) side the Hyderabad Strikers and a co-founder of Enn Sports LLP.
As an investor in Hyderabad’s pickleball team, she believes that this move would further inspire players from the city and across the country to strive for excellence. Bhagnani shared those sentiments as he believes pickleball has popularity that spans across generations.
The WPBL is set to launch today with the highly anticipated Maharashtra derby between Mumbai Pickle Power and Pune United, which includes Mumbai’s Mayur Patil, India’s pickleball captain and led by talented coach Sam Basford.
Gavaskar’s team, Dilli Dillwale face off against Mumbai Pickle Power on Saturday.
The Recap
The WBPL, India’s first global franchise-based pickleball league, was co-founded by former tennis players Gaurav Natekar and Arati Ponnappa Natekar and begins today. Eight teams make up the league across India, with players all over the world competing.
Held at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) in Mumbai, the tournament will run from January 24 until February 2.
Gavaskar, with Singh and Bhagnani, are the latest of a raft of stars to become involved in the tournament. Actress Samantha Ruth Prahbu owns the Chennai Super Champs with Atlee and Priya having invested into the Bengaluru Jawans.
Popular Bollywood couple Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh owns Pune United and in recent days, Rishabh Pant joined forces with food delivery giant Swiggy as co-owners of the Mumbai Pickle Power team.
The news in the buildup to this inaugural event showcase the intrigue of pickleball, not just as an audience but also as a business entity and the popularity stands to grow even further as the tournament progresses.
The PKLBull Verdict
The involvement of Sunil Gavaskar and Bollywood stars in the WPBL are a game-changer for pickleball in India, as well as the other high-profile celebrities and corporations involved.
This level of participation is not only bringing more visibility to the sport, but it has put itself in a unique position as an entity that is emerging with such momentum and committed backing. Pickleball is enjoying massive growth globally, and as the WPBL marches on, it could well be the catalyst for further growth in India.
These are exciting and defining times for pickleball, and this tournament has the feeling of a major turning point in the way the sport is consumed and thought of in India and the world stage.