Get your game face on

In India, cricketers are as big style icons as actors. The woman behind a few stylish men in blue shares her secrets

Get your game face on

Thanks to the recent India vs Pakistan match, cricket fever has reached a dizzying frenzy. And while many are focused on the tournament as of now, there is another kind of contest that's being played around this widely watched extravaganza when it comes to style quotients on and off the field. Take Virat Kohli for example, and the number of men who are sporting the same hairstyle as him.

Well, the lady responsible for his neatly curated look, Delhi-based grooming expert Apeni George, recently conducted a grooming workshop for dads at a Kurla mall. She says that there are a lot of factors involved in hairstyling. "It's not just about cutting hair and doing something trendy," she explains, while pointing out that men's grooming has evolved extensively. She picks four cricketer-inspired styles that you can sport if cricketers are your style gods.

Apeni George (left) with Virat Kohli

Bearded cool like Virat

Virat's signature spiked hair and clean-cut beard is both sporty and classic. It would work at both formal or casual occasions.
If you have an oval face, you can pull off most hair and beard styles, including his one.
It's crucial to not be lazy. Ensure you clean and groom your beard frequently. Looking shabby and unkempt will destroy the look. Trim at least once in two days.
Lose the moustache if the hair growth is sparse.

Yuvraj Singh

Sport a mohawk like Yuvi

This is ideal if you want something edgy yet low maintenance. Yuvi's style game off the field is just as strong as his batting game on the field. He loves his side fades and undercuts with shaved sides and the faux mohawk in the centre.
Avoid straightening your hair if your hair curls naturally. A tuft of curls turned into a mohawk works well if you have a slim face.
The faux mohawk and shaved sides are ideal for those who have a long face. Avoid if you have an overtly round or heart-shaped face.
Frequent grooming is crucial. This look also works for those who have thin facial hair growth.

Hardik Pandya

Bleed blue like Pandya

Pandya is known to be big on experimenting with hair colours. The undercut, side-swept spikes with blue highlights work for men with a small or round face.
Avoid applying too much gel or clay on your hair to set the side-swept spikes. A dab should suffice or your hair could end up looking oily instead of slick.
Colour your hair regularly to avoid the bleached hair look, which doesn't suit many Indian skin tones.
Accessorise the look with a stud on one ear.

Brett Lee

Spike it up, like Brett

The short and spiked-up look was one of the first trends that caught the cricketing world, with Brett Lee charming everyone with his youthful look.
This is ideal for men with thin hair growth and an oval face. Avoid if you have a round face, as the clean-shaved look may make you look kiddish.
Avoid if you have curly hair.
For a mature take on the look, let your hair grow out and slick it backwards like Lee.

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