akistani paceman Shoaib Akhtar may not be on the best of terms with either his teammates or the cricketing board back home due to his performance in the recently-concluded Indo-Pak cricket series, but he is ready to play ball in India. TVS Motor Company, the third largest two-wheeler maker in the country with a 16.5 per cent market share, is game. It has signed on Akhtar to endorse the company�s new motorcycle, the Victor GLX 125, alongside ace batsman and brand ambassador for the Victor GL, Sachin Tendulkar, and Aussie paceman Brett Lee. The campaign is being handled by Saatchi & Saatchi. While the film shoot has been completed, the campaign is expected to be on air late May or early June.

"The Indian motorcycle market will be 5 million units in 2004-2005," says Harish Krishnamachar, vice-president, marketing, TVS Motor Company. This year has already been heralded as the year of launching new models. "We are coming out with a complete product range in two to four months," he says. ... more