'Asli Test Baaki Hai' - STAR Sports Brings in a Power-packed Presentation for India Australia Tests

NEW DELHI, February 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

• Marketing Campaign Focuses on a New Look Team India as it Fights for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
• VVS Laxman Joins a Star-studded Expert Panel

Leading sports broadcaster STAR Sports has launched a full-fledged campaign, with the core theme 'Asli Test Baaki Hai', to promote the forthcoming India Australia Test cricket series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy which gets underway in Chennai on February 22, 2013. The campaign has been developed to build up the new Team India as it faces its toughest test against the most redoubtable of cricketing oppositions - Australia. The sports broadcaster has also lined up an expert panel of cricketing stars who will do commentary as well as studio analysis on every match day in English (STAR Cricket & STAR Cricket HD) and Hindi (STAR Sports). The commentary line-up includes legends like Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border.

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130221/595035)

Over the last 15 years or so, India vs. Australia has been the battleground in which 'Heroes' have been born or tested. The last generation of Indian heroes including Sachin, Dravid, Laxman and Ganguly came into their own against Australian opposition at home or abroad which led to this epic confrontation developing into a blue riband event - a true test of a cricketer's mettle. A match up against Australia is the ultimate battleground on which true cricketing heroes are born. Interestingly today, both teams are in a phase of rebuilding after a spate of high profile retirements. The advent of new stars like Pujara, Ashwin, Kohli, Maxwell, Starc and Pattinson ensure that the series still remains a stern test of cricketing excellence. Hence the campaign line - 'Asli Test Baaki Hai'. 

Sanjay Gupta, Chief Operating Officer, STAR India Pvt. Ltd, said, "Through the BCCI season we have been focusing on a new Team India with its new set of heroes. While we applaud the new talent we are also cognizant that in the future they will have to face a lot of stern tests before they can truly become world beaters. The overarching creative thought comes out from this - 'True heroes only emerge from the toughest battles'. Further our approach to the presentation of Indian cricket has also been a game changer in many ways. We have created a brand new Hindi presentation in addition to the existing English one to take the game to newer audiences in a language and idiom that they comprehend. We have brought in a world-class line-up of talent with stars like Navjot Sidhu, Kapil Dev and Ramiz Raja joining their illustrious compatriots like Gavaskar, Shastri, Border, Warne, Hayden, Akram, Harsha and others. We're delighted to welcome VVS Laxman on board the STAR Sports commentary, presentation and analysis team. He is famous for his prolific record against the Aussies. We are confident that cricket viewers will enjoy watching and listening to him in this new role. The TV presentation will be augmented by a strong web offering through starsports.com allowing consumers to get in the game online. Our aim is to take the viewership of this game to a whole new level - be it through our compelling campaigns, quality of talent, look and feel of the presentation, multi-platform delivery or through promoting it across the STAR network."

The series will be broadcast in English on STAR Cricket & STAR Cricket HD while STAR Sports will carry the series with Hindi commentary.

Broadcast schedule

                                        Event -
    Date         Channel        Match    Live    Time (Hrs) IST   Venue
                STAR Cricket/
                     STAR

                  Cricket HD                     8:30 hrs
    February      (English)                      (pre-show)
    22 -                        1st     India v
    February     STAR Sports    Test      New    9:30 hrs (live
    26, 2013       (Hindi)      match  Australia match)           Chennai

                STAR Cricket/
                     STAR

                  Cricket HD                     8:30 hrs
                  (English)                      (pre-show)
    March 02 -                  2nd     India v
    March 06,    STAR Sports    Test      New    9:30 hrs (live
    2013           (Hindi)      match  Australia match)           Hyderabad

                STAR Cricket/
                     STAR

                  Cricket HD                     8:30 hrs
                  (English)                      (pre-show)
    March                       3rd     India v
    14-March     STAR Sports    Test      New    9:30 hrs (live
    18, 2013       (Hindi)      match  Australia match)           Mohali

                STAR Cricket/
                     STAR

                  Cricket HD                     8:30 hrs
                  (English)                      (pre-show)
    March                       4th     India v
    22-March     STAR Sports    Test      New    9:30 hrs (live
    26, 2013       (Hindi)      match  Australia match)           Delhi

*Schedule subject to change

Primary Media Contact: Sameer Bajaj, sameerb@espnstar.co.in, 91-9811222700

Secondary Media Contact: Supriya Gupta, supriyaG@espnstar.co.in, 91-9899552515

SOURCE ESPN Software India Pvt. Ltd