Have you noticed the new fitness band Indian cricket players are wearing?

The band provides users with real-time stress scores and recovery-focused tracking, offering data points to help athletes improve their performance.

In the first group match of the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup between India and Ireland, players were seen wearing a new fitness band. This is not the first time Indian players have sported these bands; during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, players including Virat Kohli were spotted wearing a similar band without a display.

The fitness band, from the US-based company WHOOP, is not any kind of sponsor but is used by players to track their fitness and recovery. 

Founded by Will Ahmed in 2015, WHOOP launched its 4.0 version in 2021 and entered into a partnership with OpenAI, subsequently introducing WHOOP Coach.

The brand is popular among global athletes beyond cricket, including basketball star LeBron James, swimmer Michael Phelps, and golfers Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods are seen wearing the band.

It provides users with real-time stress scores and recovery-focused tracking, offering data points to help athletes improve their performance and understand their bodies' capabilities better.

WHOOP offers a membership program that combines fitness tracking with access to a data-driven coaching platform and the WHOOP strap. 

The service, recently announced as available in India, includes annual and 24-month membership options priced at Rs 19,598 and Rs 33,308.52, respectively. The membership includes free WHOOP 4.0 with a lifetime warranty and access to the WHOOP app.

On May 13, 2024, WHOOP welcomed legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo as an investor and global brand ambassador. 

Will Ahmed, CEO of WHOOP, stated in a press statement, “Cristiano has been a WHOOP member for a number of years, and we’re proud to strengthen our relationship further through this partnership. Cristiano’s relentless pursuit of improvement and perfection mirrors our mission. We are looking forward to collaborating with him to share unprecedented insights into his training and recovery methods. Together, we'll unveil exciting product collaborations to enhance the WHOOP experience for our members.”

This collaboration aligns with WHOOP’s recent expansion into new regions, now operating in five of the six GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, and Bahrain, as well as Hong Kong, Israel, Korea, and Taiwan. 

Ronaldo joins a prestigious group of global ambassador investors, including Patrick Mahomes, Michael Phelps, Eli Manning, Rory McIlroy, and more.