Koovs teams up with cricket star KL Rahul's for fashion launch

The announcement comes as the prolific batsman, who recently smashed the fastest half-century in IPL tournament’s history, prepares to return to the line-up against England at the IT20 Old Trafford on 3 July. The England series is expected to have an audience of around 700m viewers in India.

Mary Turner, chief executive of Koovs, said: "Athleisure and streetwear are highly popular with our globally connected, tech-savvy and style-conscious 20-something customers. KL Rahul is an icon of youth culture in India and so Gully is a perfect brand for Koovs.com customers."

Gully is inspired by urban street sport and hip hop culture and, according to Rahul, is “rooted in culture, music and fashion”. The brand has an emphasis on comfort, quality and affordability, and is aimed at India’s youth.

Research suggests that athleisure is the fastest growing fashion sector in India, with the style’s Indian market having grown by 25% in the last year according to research by Livemint and Deloitte.

As of 1020 BST, Koovs’ shares were up 1.12% at 18.00p.