SG’s BORN TO BE with Hardik Pandya shows how a cricket equipment maker can step into India’s USD 10 billion sportswear and footwear market with limited editions and fan-first pricing.
India’s sportswear market is worth about USD 10 billion in 2026, growing roughly 10% a year, with sports footwear the fastest-moving segment of all.
Into this arena steps Sanspareils Greenlands (SG), cricket’s equipment specialist since 1931, with BORN TO BE, a footwear and apparel collection co-created with cricketer Hardik Pandya.
Launched on 14 Oct. 2026 for Pandya’s 33rd birthday, it extends a ten-year partnership beyond bats and pads into everyday wear and performance footwear.
The headline act is 333 numbered pairs of signature shoes, HP33 PRIVEE and HP33 CITY, priced at INR 20,000 and INR 25,000 respectively.
Everyday pieces start below INR 1,000, letting fans buy in at any budget, while pre-booking is open on SG’s website and the District app.
Nike, Adidas and Puma anchor the premium end, while Decathlon, HRX, Skechers and Campus Activewear serve value-seeking and gym-going consumers across price points.
Momentum is real: Campus sold about 25 million pairs in FY25, up 12%, while Fabletics and lululemon are entering India through Reliance Brands and Tata CLiQ respectively.
Paras Anand, CEO, Sanspareils Greenlands (SG), said the collection is where a legacy brand and “an athlete with a clear point of view work as true partners.”
Challenges remain: Indian shoppers are price-sensitive, want fit certainty, and a cricket heritage brand must earn footwear credibility against global giants with decades of innovation.
Yet with a trusted name, a loved athlete and made-in-India pride, SG has every chance to turn fan devotion into a lasting lifestyle label.
Editor’s Note
Athlete-led brands win when the athlete co-creates and the partner brings credibility; here, Pandya’s jersey number 33 supplies a ready-made emotional identity.
Numbered limited editions are smart openers, because scarcity builds desire and tests premium demand without risking unsold inventory or heavy discounting.
The larger prize sits below INR 1,000, where volumes live; sizing, availability and store access will matter more than pre-booking buzz.
Get that right, and SG could emerge as a surprise lifestyle contender in India’s crowded sportswear aisles, with every fan proudly carrying 33 forward.
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