Kings XI Punjab are reportedly changing their team name and logo ahead of the IPL 2021. According to Sportskeeda, the new name and logo are now expected to be launched on February 17, just a day before the mini-auction in Chennai.
If KXIP goes through with a new look, they won’t be the first team to do so. Deccan Chargers changed their logo and jersey right after the inaugural season. In 2012, Kolkata Knight Riders replaced the original gold and black colour scheme in their logo with the now-iconic purple and gold. Royal Challengers Bangalore have also changed their logo twice. Delhi’s team became the Capitals from Daredevils in 2018, and Rising Pune Supergiants removed an ‘s’ from their name and played as Supergiant in the 2017 season.
KXIP began the last season of IPL with a new captain in KL Rahul and new team management headed by legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble. They did have a disastrous start to the tournament, losing six out of their first seven games. Despite a late resurgence in the tournament, KXIP failed to make the playoffs due to poor start of the competition. With the next edition approaching fast, KXIP needs to have a better strategy as they are one of the three teams from the original eight franchise roster who have never won the league.
Owned by Bollywood actress Preity Zinta, Mohit Burman, Ness Wadia, and Karan Paul, KXIP is going into the auction as the franchise with the biggest purse of Rs 53.2 crores. After a bitter-sweet season in 2020, Punjab unexpectedly released Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, and West Indies pacer Sheldon Cottrell, who were previously signed for Rs 10.75 crore and Rs 8.5 crores, respectively. They also released K Gowtham, Mujeeb ur Rahman, Jimmy Neesham, Hardus Viljoen, and Karun Nair, and enhanced their purse to an amount that can now fetch them major match-winners.