So yesterday I thought, why not get a CSK jersey with my name on it? Always been a fan of that bright yellow and blue, plus IPL season just feels incomplete without some merch. Started by digging through my closet for that old jersey I bought two seasons ago. Couldn’t find it anywhere – probably got lost during last year’s house cleaning frenzy.
The Hunt Begins
Headed downtown to those sports shops near the stadium. First store only had the current players’ jerseys. Asked the guy behind the counter about custom printing. He just shrugged and pointed at a dusty printer in the corner saying “machine broken six months” with zero eye contact. Walked out feeling kinda annoyed.
Plan B Chaos
Remembered my buddy Vinod got his name on a RCB jersey last year. Called him up – he rambled about some local market stall he used. Grabbed an auto rickshaw to that place, sweating buckets in this insane heat. Found the stall squeezed between two vegetable carts. The shopkeeper took one look at my face and immediately said “no CSK letters, only Mumbai Indians”. Almost laughed at how ridiculous that was.
Getting Crafty
Stopped at a stationary shop on the way home and bought:
- One thick white fabric sheet
- Fabric glue that smelled like chemicals
- Scissors with red plastic handles
- Black marker that bled through everything
Dumped all my laundry off the ironing board to make workspace. Traced block letters using my phone’s notepad as reference. Cut them out messily – ended up with jagged edges like a child’s art project.
The Messy Execution
Spread the jersey on my kitchen floor. Applied glue in zigzags across each letter. Pressed them down near the collar, accidentally smudging glue everywhere. That chemical stench made me lightheaded so I left it under heavy books overnight. Woke up to find three letters peeling off already. Used super glue as reinforcement – now my fingers are stuck together and the letters feel like cardboard.
Looks absolutely terrible up close but honestly? From five feet away while watching the match tonight, it almost looks legit. Wore it anyway when meeting friends at the cafe. They roasted me for the crooked letter spacing but whatever – I’ve got custom CSK gear now!
