Cricket pitching us style icons wasn’t on our 2026 bingo card

Some fashion moments are best captured on the pitch

Aside from the skin-burning and sweat-dripping heat, summer brings a lot of excuses to wind down. A favourite across Indian households is when the whole family sits together after dinner in an AC-chilled room with a large bowl of fresh mango ice cream to watch an IPL match. Regardless of your actual interest in the game, everyone is hunting down connections to score a match ticket or peeking into strangers’ phones on public transport to check the score.

You will always hear, “Bhai, score kya hai? (Bro, what’s the score?)” outside metro stations or queues for the trendiest cafés in Bandra.

This season, there’s something new. The players aren’t just inspiring the latest haircuts and beard shapes; they have entered a whole new league of accessorising with real diamonds.

Men wearing diamonds is nothing new. We’ve seen it on raja and maharajas, and more recently on musicians gracing the Met Gala’s red carpet. A few men in studs or embellished teeth-grills are easy enough to spot.

A cricket pitch is rarely the place you’d expect to see real diamonds, but we’re not complaining.

Some of the most promising players in our country are being spotted in natural diamond necklaces, earrings and bracelets, paired with their team jerseys. They’re not reserving diamonds for special occasions—it’s part of their work outfits, and it’s sparking a trend.

The effect is visible: fine jewellery is slowly finding its way into men’s everyday styles.

Players who are scoring runs in fashion

This IPL season, two players, Suryakumar Yadav (SKY) and Abhishek Sharma, have made that collision of cricket and fine diamond jewellery impossible to ignore. Whether it’s SKY’s 9-carat natural diamond pendant with a cricket bat, or Sharma’s 26-carat natural diamond tennis necklace catching the light mid-innings, both men are making the case that jewellery isn’t an afterthought, it’s part of their personal style.

Jewellery that looks nonchalant

After India’s win at the Men’s T20 World Cup, under SKY’s captaincy, we’ve seen new sides of him through his humorous Instagram Reels and photo-dumps where he is rocking printed shirts on vacation with his wife.

Adding to the list of things he’s surprised us with this year, it’s the 9-carat cricket bat diamond pendant, also called the Powerplay pendant. The pendant was designed and created by the De Beers group, specifically for Yadav.

Seeing a sportsman shift gears on everyday men’s jewellery is definitely more refreshing than coconut water after working out. Turns out that a real diamond, popularly called a girl’s best friend, is a style ally to all who wish to sparkle.

According to Yadav, this pendant has sentimental value that reminds him of his journey as a sportsman and team leader. It’s a thought that changes how we look at men’s jewellery, which was previously either strictly ceremonial or deliberately subtle. Yadav’s pendant asks us to reconsider the image of a modern Indian man, one who works hard for his wins and wears diamonds while doing so.

Not-so-subtle bling

Abhishek Sharma, the 25-year-old Sunrisers Hyderabad opener, is never seen without his diamond stud piercing or the 26-carat diamond necklace; they’re with him on the field, part of his airport look, and he even wears them with formal tuxedos.

As one of the most fashion-forward cricketers in India right now, Sharma doesn’t shy away from making a statement both on and off the field. Like his signature tennis diamond necklace, previously seen only on women, has become one of his most identifiable style markers on the field, along with his helmet.

His younger male fans believe it’s something Sharma can pull off with ease. A refreshing attitude from a crowd that previously only considered buying diamonds for their partners.

His all-rounder status continues to be seen outside the stadium as well, where he can be seen wearing diamonds with a pink blazer, his bright-orange jersey or even a simple, sanskari kurta. Just like a true fashion icon, he’s hard to get off the field and off your feed.

Diamonds of the season

What makes both men’s choices feel personal is the intention behind them. They’re both breaking away from the idea that jewellery for men can’t have meaning.

Much like Hollywood and Bollywood A-listers who have made bracelets, rings, and statement necklaces part of their signature look, Yadav and Sharma are introducing natural diamonds as a daily choice, not one saved for special moments. They’re doing so on one of the most-watched stages in the country, and that makes it even more significant. As they carve out their own path, in their own style, they inspire young fans to work hard and enjoy their wins.