Ind vs Aus: Star Sports plays up the contest, tones down on rivalry

The broadcaster plays down the rivalry even as it plays up the contest for the three-match series

It is the first big cricketing event of the year but the buzz around it is muted. Unlike previous Star Sports’ campaigns blaring down every screen, this time around the ads have been hard to find and their tone, pitched to a friendlier note. And as the India-Australia 3-match one-day international series opened today, the familiar jingoism that marks advertising around such events also seems to be missing. Is this the beginning of a new cricket mantra for Star Sports and the army of brands that flock to every big cricket tournament in the country?

Not really, say some brand