Oscar Piastri is about to closely follow the Indian Premiere League for the first time this year. This highly popular cricket tournament attracts a huge audience in India, with millions of viewers tuning in annually. As the IPL gains global recognition, McLaren F1 driver Oscar Piastri has expressed his interest in watching the league this season.
The Tata IPL, now in its seventeenth season in 2024, features ten teams competing for the championship. Piastri announced on a social media platform that he would be following the league this year and asked for suggestions from his followers on which team to support during his inaugural season as a spectator.
Given his nationality, Piastri may have a preference for supporting Australian players in the IPL. Leading the victorious team in the 2023 World Cup, MS Dhoni and talented bowler Virat Kohli were the highest-paid players in the 2024 Tata IPL auction. Consequently, Piastri may lean towards supporting Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) this season.
Expressing his excitement for the IPL, Piastri asked for recommendations on which team to support, signaling his desire to get involved in the tournament. Karun Chandhok, one of only two Indians to compete in a Formula 1 Grand Prix, responded to Piastri’s post. Chandhok suggested that the Australian driver should support the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) this year, likely due to the presence of Indian cricket legend MS Dhoni. It is worth noting that Piastri had teased Chandhok earlier after Australia’s victory over India in the 2023 World Cup final.
On the other hand, the Formula E driver encouraged Piastri to support the Mumbai Indians (MI). The Australian delivered an impressive performance for Mumbai in their match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by Pat Cummins, despite SRH coming out victorious. Both the Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings have a rich history of success in the IPL, with each team winning five IPL titles.
It would certainly please Indian Formula 1 fans to see Oscar Piastri become a supporter of the IPL. The Australian driver has had a passion for cricket for many years, but has never truly followed the premier T20 cricket league before. As the seventeenth season of the IPL approaches, it remains to be seen which team Piastri will choose to support.
