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Major League Baseball (MLB) has officially made its entry into India, a country where cricket reigns supreme, but global sports like baseball and basketball are gradually gaining attention. For the second consecutive year, MLB and Disney Star have collaborated to create a reality sports series called HotShots. This show explores an intriguing question: can some of India’s top amateur cricketers hit home runs as far as they can hit sixes? Know everything about the show.
What is MLB Hotshots?
HotShots tests the batting skills of 10 of India’s best amateur cricketers, with the winner claiming a grand prize of Rs 15 lakh. The four-episode series features appearances by former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, five-time MLB All-Star and Baltimore Orioles very own Adam Jones, and Star Sports commentator Jatin Sapru. Shikhar and Adam coach the contestants, each with compelling stories of how they became interested in baseball, as they aim to hit the longest "hot shots" of their careers in a thrilling final showdown.
The series is a follow-up to last year’s Indian Baseball Dreams, which aired on Disney Star’s platforms and told the inspiring story of Arjun Nimmala, the first-ever first-generation Indian American to be selected in the first round of the MLB Draft in 2023. Disney Star has been MLB’s broadcast partner in India since 2020, airing the World Series and other key MLB postseason games.
When and Where will HotShots premiere?
HotShots is set to premiere on October 25, 2024, at 11 AM IST on Star Sports Select 1 and Star Sports 2, with reruns throughout the day. The next three episodes will air daily until October 28, and all episodes will be available for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar starting October 25.
World Series
This series coincides with the start of the 120th World Series, which begins on October 26 (IST). The Los Angeles Dodgers, led by Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani, are competing against the New York Mets, whose star shortstop Francisco Lindor is trying to lead them to the World Series. On the American League side, the New York Yankees with Aaron Judge are facing off against the Cleveland Guardians and All-Star third baseman José Ramírez. Disney Star will broadcast all World Series games live, with reruns airing at 8:00 AM IST on Star Sports Select 2, featuring local commentators Ayush Sharma and Manish Batavia.
On participating in HotShots, Shikhar Dhawan shared his excitement: “I’m very, very excited! There’s 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 echoed the enthusiasm, saying, “There’s talent here for sure and we’re only scratching the surface. I’m rooting for baseball to get bigger in India when the fans here see how much their batting skills in cricket translate to my sport. I can’t wait to see moonshots that future Indian baseball players will hit.”
