 "Coldplay's shows in India were dominated by tributes to Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Images: Coldplay")
British band Coldplay performed in two cities in India this month as part of their ‘Music of the Spheres World Tour.’ While they mesmerized lakhs of fans in the stadiums and millions on the OTT platform with their hugely popular music, there was one more thing common to their performances in Navi Mumbai and Ahmedabad — something not often seen at musical shows: the mention of Indian cricket team fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
Unlike many popular international bands and artists who rely on Bollywood to connect with Indian fans during their performances, Coldplay, which has Chris Martin as its lead singer, seems to have followed a carefully curated strategy. They also used the country’s most popular sport to build familiarity and strengthen their connection with the audience.
During their Navi Mumbai show at DY Patil Stadium on 21 January, Martin paused in between to read “a legal notice” from Bumrah’s lawyers as he tried to mention the Indian cricketer’s name during the show. He also called Bumrah the “greatest bowler in the whole wide world”.
“I’m so sorry, but I have to read a letter from Jasprit Bumrah’s lawyer. I have to do this because, otherwise, we could be sent to prison and wouldn’t be able to perform in Ahmedabad,” Martin said.
“Dear Coldplay, during your first and second shows, you mentioned Jasprit Bumrah without permission. This is illegal-you cannot mention Jasprit. Who do you think you are, you foolish Englishman? The letter also states that Mr. Jasprit Bumrah is the greatest bowler in the whole wide world, and you are just a silly singer.”
Impact Shorts
More ShortsEarlier on 18 January, Martin suddenly stopped while singing ‘A Sky Full of Stars’ and said: “Hold on, we have to finish the show because Jasprit Bumrah wants to come and play backstage. He says he needs to bowl at me now."
They also played a video of Bumrah taking a wicket against England with his iconic yorker.
“This made me smile! Incredible vibe at the @coldplay concert in Mumbai (from what I’ve seen here) and even more special to be mentioned,” Jasprit Bumrah had written on X (formerly Twitter) after his name was mentioned during the concerts.
In Ahmedabad, Bumrah was in attendance at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday (26 January) as Martin sang a tribute. “O Jasprit Bumrah, my beautiful brother. The best bowler in all of cricket. We did not enjoy watching you destroy England, wicket after wicket,” the song went.
Martin also displayed Bumrah’s signed Test jersey on stage.
How Bumrah’s presence helps Coldplay?
It cannot be a mere coincidence that Martin mentioned Bumrah in Navi Mumbai and the pacer later attended their concert in his hometown. It comes across as a clever strategy to leverage Bumrah’s popularity as Coldplay tried to leave an indelible mark on Indian fans.
India has the largest youth population in the world, with 65% of Indians being under 35 years of age, and cricket is the most popular sport in the country. In such a scenario, it’s a no-brainer that creating a blend of cricket and music would be highly successful.
The fact that Bumrah is out of Team India currently due to back spasms could be a coincidence but there’s no doubt that the pacer’s presence at the concerts, virtually and physically, must have helped Coldplay provide a major push to their shows in India.
They are a hugely popular band, but creating a connection through a local personality helps attract new listeners and build familiarity that will resonate for a long time.
This probably could be one of the reasons that Coldplay managed to attract 1.34 lakh fans for the Sunday show which is their biggest concert ever. Their previous record was 83,000 fans during the Sydney event in November 2024.
With official tickets ranging between Rs 2,000 and Rs 35,000, it’s also a guarantee that Coldplay made a lot of money from their India tour.