Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar on Monday unveiled the team jersey and anthem of Kerala Blasters, the Indian Super League team co-owned by him, and promised to support local talent in the state.
The Blasters will sport bright yellow jerseys in the inaugural season of the football tournament, starting next month.
He claimed the colour was particularly chosen because it stands for determination and faith.
Kerala Blasters will be led by their marquee player-cum-manager David James, a former England goalkeeper.
Tendulkar believes that the ISL will bring about a big change in Indian football and take it to another level, just like the Indian Premier League did for cricket in the country.
"In ISL, the players are from remote areas. There are no big names. Why not encourage them? And it is something, I feel, we have lacked over the years... to provide them the right platform. In India there is right talent. We have not been able to provide them the right platform. Over a period the face of Indian football will change," he said.
Tendulkar, who retired from cricket after a glorious career, said the success of the Pro Kabaddi League and Indian Badminton League proves that there is a huge interest for sports other than cricket.
"It is important for me to support all sports in India, football and cricket. The kabaddi and badminton leagues are both successful now. I see no reason why the ISL should not succeed. It is the responsibility of everyone, not only of team owners and players alone, to ensure that it succeeds."
The theme song of the Blasters is composed by M M Sreelekha, who has composed the music for 75 films, and sung by Malayalam actor Kalabhavan Mani.
