With IPL 2021 beginning this week, we rate the jerseys of all eight franchises with some lighting up the catwalk and others fashion disasters.

While kit colours and designs have not been a huge point of discussion among cricket fans over the years – it’s not much fun choosing between different shades of white – the advent of dazzling T20 leagues around the world has changed that. Teams now put effort into bringing colour, personality and detailing to their kits, while also experimenting with the concept of home and away jerseys, in an effort to give new sides an identity for fans to connect with.

Seven teams have officially released their IPL 2021 jerseys, with Sunrisers Hyderabad still to go.

As soon as the action begins, the kits won’t matter anymore. But let’s humour ourselves a bit as we wait for the tournament to gather pace.

Here’s Wisden’s ratings of the IPL 2021 jerseys.

Rating the jerseys of all IPL 2021 teams

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) – 8/10

While RCB might not always finish on top of the IPL points table, they definitely get the top spot here. The black, golden and red colours of their jersey look excellent together, while the imprinted lion on the lower half adds personality to the kit. While the sponsor placement is still too apparent, it’s better than the rest of the franchises.

Rajasthan Royals (RR) – 7.5/10

Not many spectators were fans of RR swapping their royal blue for pink in 2019. However, they’ve now added a lot of detailing to the design, making it one of the best kits of the season. The details on their kit speak to the various initiatives RR have taken up through the Rajasthan Royals foundation, particularly empowerment of women. Their IPL 2021 fan replicas will be made with recycled plastic bottles, which gives the jersey some environmental brownie points.

Delhi Capitals (DC) – 7/10

The blend of various hues of blue and bright red on Delhi’s IPL 2021 jersey might not appeal to all, but beyond the base colours there is plenty to like. The triple tiger imprinted on the chest, inspired by the DC logo, brings personality to the design. The tiger theme is taken forward by tapering triangles on the rest of the jersey, signifying its claws. A creative kit.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – 6.5/10

CSK’s jersey over the years has been parallel to their journey in the tournament – no-nonsense, consistent and bright. However, they made a couple of changes this year, making it a talking point among fans. While the camouflage design added to the shoulder blades – as a tribute to the Indian army – might not be popular among all, it has definitely caught the attention. Like RR, CSK fan replicas will also be made out of recycled plastic – 15 bottles per kit.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Chennai Super Kings (@chennaiipl)

Punjab Kings (PBKS) – 6/10

While the PBKS IPL 2021 jersey is not hard to look at, the lack of detailing means it ranks lower on this list. Additionally, the red and gold make it look quite similar to RCB’s designs in the earlier editions. However, decent sponsor placement and the imprinted lion on the waist still make it an aesthetic kit.

Mumbai Indians (MI) – 5/10

While Mumbai Indians have been the undisputed powerhouse in the IPL for the last few years, their kits do not match that level of dominance. Not even close. The gold and blue clash weirdly, while the design looks a little too symmetric.

The kit is supposed to pay tribute to their five IPL titles through the five elements – Earth, water, fire, air, sky. While the thought is cool, it hardly comes through in the jersey.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – 4/10

In the augural 2008 edition of the IPL, KKR’s black and gold kit was arguably the best of the lot. Not anymore…

The purple and yellow on KKR’s 2021 jersey do not mix well, the sponsor logos  look out of place. The design leaves a lot to be desired.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) –

SRH haven’t released their IPL 2021 jersey officially yet. We’ve only gotten glimpses from their skipper…

Subscribe to the Wisden Cricket YouTube channel for post-match awards, player interviews, analysis and much more.

Related tags:

Global T20 LeaguesIndian Premier LeagueSeries Editorial