ycle makers in India seem to have suddenly woken up to the power of star approval. Market leader Hero Cycles set the ball rolling when it signed on Indian cricket�s latest bowling sensation Irfan Pathan featuring him in an ad that was aired in full blast during India�s historic tour of Pakistan earlier this year. TI and Atlas followed suit. TI Cycles got flamboyant batsman and Indian test team�s opener-in-the-wings Yuvraj Singh to endorse a range of Hercules cycles. Not to be left behind, Atlas Cycles has roped in Bollywood hunk Suniel Shetty and Wimbledon Junior champion from Hyderabad, Sania, Mirza.

This is not the 1-crore-unit Indian cycle industry�s first brush with celebrities though. Indian cricket�s most celebrated captain, Kapil Dev, promoted BSA cycles during his heyday. Film stars Rani Mukherjee, Akshay Kumar and Sanjay Dutt too have taken turns with cricketers Ajay Jadeja and Robin Singh to endorse different brands. ... more