MLB partners with Shikhar Dhawan to launch ‘HotShots’ in India

MAJOR League Baseball (MLB) has enlisted former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan for a new reality sports series aimed at promoting baseball in India.

The series, launching on 25 October 2024, includes four episodes featuring Dhawan, Adam Jones—an MLB All-Star who spent much of his career with the Baltimore Orioles—and sports presenter Jatin Sapru.

Titled HotShots and produced in collaboration with Disney Star, the series explores the question: can India’s top amateur cricket players hit home runs as far as they hit sixes? HotShots puts this to the test, with 10 selected amateur batters competing for a top prize of Rs 15 lakh (£13,731). Both Dhawan and Jones will serve as coaches for the contestants.

This new series follows last year’s Indian Baseball Dreams, which sha red the story of Arjun Nimmala, the first first-generation Indian American drafted in the first round of the MLB Draft in 2023.

Coinciding with the 120th MLB World Series scheduled to begin on 26 October, HotShots aims to showcase baseball talent from India to a wider audience. In the World Series lineup, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Japanese star Shohei Ohtani are competing with the New York Mets and their shortstop Francisco Lindor for a spot in the championship.

Speaking on his involvement, Dhawan shared his enthusiasm: “I am very, very excited! There is a Major League Baseball competition taking place where both cricketers and baseball players are participating. This is the first of its kind competition here in India.”

Adam Jones expressed optimism about India’s potential in baseball, adding, “There is talent here for sure, and we are only scratching the surface. I’m rooting for baseball to get bigger in India when fans here see how much their cricket batting skills translate to my sport. I can’t wait to see moonshots that future Indian baseball players will hit.”