IPL 2023: Royal Challengers Bangalore to don green jerseys in home game against Rajasthan Royals

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will wear green jerseys in the 32nd match of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) on April 23 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

The team introduced the green jersey as part of their "Go Green" initiative in 2011. The goal of the initiative is to promote environmental sustainability and raise awareness about ecological issues. Notably, in every season since then, the Bangalore franchise has played one match in green jerseys.

RCB took to Twitter on Wednesday to share a photo of their players donning green jerseys. Captain Faf du Plessis, batter Virat Kohli, all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, and keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik featured in the promotional image that announced the franchise's home fixture against RR as their 'Go Green' match of the season.

"Green Game will be played on the 23rd of April, against Rajasthan Royals at the Chinnaswamy stadium. Our special green jerseys are made of 100% recycled material and you can now get your hands on them, on the RCB Website and App," sharing details about their green game in IPL 2023 RCB tweeted.

See RCB's tweet:

Royal Challengers Bangalore@RCBTweets

RCB’s Green Game will be played on the 23rd of April, against Rajasthan Royals at the Chinnaswamy stadium. Our special green jerseys are made of 100% recycled material and you can now get your hands on them, on the RCB Website and App. #PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2023 #GoGreen

04:01 PM · Apr 13, 2023

7.7K1K

RCB's green jersey has received positive feedback from their supporters over the years. The franchise has received accolades for its creative approach of utilizing the game as a platform to raise awareness about environmental issues. They disseminate messages about conservation, sustainability, and the need to safeguard the environment by donning the green jersey once in the cash-rich league. 

RCB’s season opener match alone generated 9047.6 kg waste in the stadium as much as 19488 water bottles were used. As per estimates, an average of eight tons of dry waste, food waste, and other recyclable wastes are generated from the stadium after every match. Implementation of waste segregation practices have helped to gather and segregate dry, food and non-recyclable wastes and process them completely to further recycle and make recycled products like shirts and other sustainable goods.

Working closely with Good Era, Implementation Partner for Go Green Initiative, RCB have uniquely developed a Green Army, a one-of-its- kind sustainability help group that they take copious help to keep the stadium premises clean.

“RCB is the world’s first carbon neutral cricket team and the foremost cricket franchise in the world rallying behind a people’s driven movement for greener planet. “Go Green” is not just an initiative for us but an aspiring movement to seek behavioural changes, contributing to solving various challenges related to climate change. It transcends beyond cricket and connects fans at a much deeper level, an engagement with a purpose,” said Rajesh Menon, VP & Head of Royal Challengers Bangalore.

This year’s mission will also see RCB restore two lakes in South Bengaluru covering 44 acres and close to 200 schools will see the Green School certification roll out.

“As part of our year-long commitment, we will enable and encourage sustainability for the people, of the people, and by the people through a unique fan-driven model of carbon neutrality and rejuvenating and restoring the city lakes which were once the pride of Bangalore city. We also feel we need to begin early in life to start living consciously and therefore Green School is an initiative to involve future generation to be a part of the movement,” Menon added.

RCB has created a digital green pledge forum on their official website for the fans to come together, synergize commitment around chosen initiatives on pressing issues of sustainability to complete with contributions/on ground implementation programs/measuring impact and sustenance. Keeping up with the commitments of sustainability, cricket matches are conducted utilising solar and wind power at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium as well, which is now transformed into a green stadium. 

 RCB intends to expand these holistic green initiatives and encourage fans from world over to join the crusade to encourage sustainable and eco-friendly living.