Hyderabad: Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has revealed a new livery inspired by its partnership with Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
The design, featuring CSK’s iconic yellow and blue colours, embellish the first Airbus A320neo operated by the UAE carrier, showcasing both style and sustainability.
Yellove takes flight ✈️💛💙
— Etihad Airways (@etihad) November 27, 2024
Introducing our newly @ChennaiIPL themed livery.#WhistleParakkattum #CSK #Etihad pic.twitter.com/GU40B5UWna
The aircraft, 20 per cent more fuel-efficient than its predecessors, will mark its inaugural flight in December, connecting fans to CSK’s home city, Chennai.
Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer of Etihad Airways Arik De expressed pride in the airline’s partnership with CSK. He highlighted the joy cricket brings globally, saying, "With our expanding network, we bring CSK's legacy to millions worldwide".
The move reinforces Etihad’s commitment to India while celebrating the passion for cricket and its potential to unite fans across the globe.
Meanwhile, earlier in the recently concluded IPL 2025 auction, the five-time IPL champions also signed players who have the experience in domestic cricket but their IPL careers haven't created headlines in the years gone by. That list includes Rahul Tripathi, Vijay Shankar, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Deepak Hooda and Shreyas Gopal.Chennai Super Kings brought back R Ashwin after 10 seasons.
Out of the total purse of Rs 120 crore, which each franchise had before retaining players, CSK spent Rs 65 crore to retain five players, including the uncapped MS Dhoni (Rs 4 crore).
The re-introduction of a rule in the IPL Player Regulations allowed CSK to retain Dhoni. The rule states that any player who hasn't played international cricket for five years or hasn't had a central contract for that period is considered uncapped.
