Ganguly

Mumbai, Feb. 17: Out of the ODI team, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly have been dropped from the Pepsi ad.

The two over-35s, apparently too old for one-day cricket, will now be replaced by Ishant Sharma, 19, and Rohit Sharma, 20, in Pepsi’s “Youngistaan” commercials for the 2008 campaign.

“From time to time we review the list of stars and, depending on the situation and who we think is right, we pick and choose,” PTI quoted Pepsico India’s executive vice-president (marketing), Sandeep Singh Arora, as saying in Delhi.

“Rohit Sharma and Ishant Sharma are surely in as they have the attitude and aggression reflecting Pepsi’s brand image. If you talk about Rahul and Ganguly, they are not on the list now.”

“Sourav excluded?” was the surprised question from ad film-maker Prahlad Kakkar when The Telegraph informed him.

Once the news had sunk in, he reasoned: “Brands are always looking for alternatives, and perhaps the company felt that though Rahul and Sourav are stalwarts, they may not be inspiring enough for the youngsters.”

Kakkar, however, felt that the former captains still had great brand equity, each having scored over 10,000 runs in one-dayers. “Advertising is ultimately about track records. Perhaps brands should reinvent them like Mak completely remade Rahul’s image and made him look different and sexy.”

Pepsi’s new campaign, titled “Yeh Hain Youngistaan Meri Jaan,” features Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone among Bollywood stars.

“The new campaign targets the youth of the nation, not only youngsters but also people young at heart. ‘Youngistaan’ represents a never failing attitude, desire to take on challenges and the power to turn things around,” Arora said.

Delhi pacer Ishant and Mumbai batsman Rohit have won praise for their showing in the ongoing tri-series in Australia. This would be the first major endorsement for either.

“I am happy that Rohit has already got a big brand under his belt,” Rohit’s coach Dinesh Lad said. “But I’m disappointed at the way he got out today. He should have hung around.”

Rohit was caught behind for one, fishing outside off, and reacted late to a call as M.S. Dhoni’s runner at a crucial moment. The run-out took the game away from India.

Lad said it was perhaps too early for advertising brands to pick young players like him. “I would like Rohit to play international cricket for the next 15 years. He should focus on his cricket. Money and other things will come; his on-field performance is the key for things like endorsements.”

Rohit has played nine ODIs and six Twenty20 games. He impressed with his gritty, unbeaten 50 in an ICC World Twenty20 match and top-scored with 70 not out in India’s previous game in Australia.

The lanky, six-foot-four Ishant has repeatedly harassed and dismissed Ricky Ponting in ODIs and Tests during the current tour. He has eight wickets in six one-dayers, and took 2-32 at Adelaide today.

On Wednesday, former Indian pacer Jawagal Srinath had described him as possibly the world’s best bowler on current form.

The last time Ganguly had found himself out of the team — in both Tests and ODIs — he had featured in a touching Pepsi commercial. “Apni Dada ki baat sunenge na?” Sourav said in the commercial, urging cricket fans to cheer Greg Chappell’s team.

When Arora was asked about Sachin Tendulkar, who is in the ODI squad, he said: “It would be inappropriate to talk about him at this point of time.”