The most-awaited cricketing season in India, 2017 Indian Premier League that begins today has left host Archana Vijay totally confused. The only woman presenter to be on IPL Extraaa Innings T20 on Sony Max is perplexed on which team to support. “I am from Kolkata, I lived in Mumbai for 13 years, and now I live in Delhi… it’s difficult to choose. But Kolkata and Mumbai have won the IPL twice each, so, I will go with Delhi, the underdogs; I really hope they win the IPL this time. They have an amazing line-up of batsmen and that’s very exciting for me,” admits Archana who completes a decade hosting cricket shows.
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With such a long innings as a show presenter, Archana is entitled to be called a seasoned anchor. But the journey this far hasn’t been a cakewalk for this femme fatale of cricketing shows on television in India. “The biggest challenge I faced was I had to convince people to go beyond the way I look. While I may be hot, sexy or whatever, I had to make people believe I was talking sense. That in itself was a challenge. But I overcame that. I have had legends like Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri, Navjot Singh Siddhu commend me for my work. Today, people appreciate my work, apart from my looks. Though there are many who troll on the Internet, my fans look forward to my show. For me this is the real reward.”
But just being gifted with looks and brains, isn’t enough. Even today, the presenter, who has hosted five IPL seasons earlier, has to work smart and be sharp to be on par with her male counterparts. “We have to do our homework. We have a whole team that works very hard to give us statistics when we are presenting, apart from this, we have to watch the matches closely during the season.” Yet, Archana has the advantage of being candid about her role in the male-dominated studio, “I am not an expert,” she says. As part of the ‘cricketainment’ segment, she has the liberty to do things differently. From bringing the lesser known facts of the lives of cricketers, and off-the-field action to enjoying bloopers on live television, the girl admits she has a lot of fun.
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Between all of this, being out on the field during the peak of summer is no easy task for any presenter. Particularly because one needs to look perfect at all times. “The IPL happens in the hottest month of the year. So shooting outdoors is a challenge. Even as sweat trickles down the body, we need to stand confidently, looking pretty and presentable.” But Archana has no complains, she is in a happy zone being in the spotlight this time as the only woman presenter.
Archana Vijaya, who is known for her sterling contribution in the world of cricket presentation, will be back on Extra Innnings T20. Archana will be seen donning a new hat this year as she gears up to host a fresh new segment for the Extraaa-Innings show wherein she will be traveling across the length and breadth of the country, looking for untold stories of cricketing legends, catching fans unaware and bringing some behind the scene stories to the viewers. While Archana takes on the nostalgia craze, Gaurav Kapur and Samir Kochhar, who have given cricket analysis an all-new definition will continue to be seen on IPL Extraaa Innings T20.