They practise their gruelling dance routines, go sightseeing and shopping. During the long wait between matches, the foreign IPL cheerleaders are figuring out cricket, and India

Evgenia guseva, 23, is having a relaxed lunch in the coffee shop of a decrepit three-star hotel in Bangalore. It’s going to be a long day and night for Guseva and her 11 other leggy Russian mates, for these are the cheerleaders for the Rajasthan Royals. They’ve been in the news for their provocative costumes and lusty cheers, but as you watch this bunch of giggling girls tuck into salad and pasta, they look anything but perturbed by the constant scrutiny of their clothes, their moves and their attitude. “The fruits and vegetables here taste so good,” remarks Guseva, also the oldest of the lot, and the only one who can speak a smattering of English. By default, Guseva has become the leader of the troupe, used for communicating in India by all the girls. It’s their first time in Asia, and the girls from Russia are determined to enjoy every minute of this adventure. “It’s been very hectic. We’ve slept only four hours last night. We’re exhausted but it’s exciting to be here,” smiles Guseva.

Since this troupe from a dance school in Moscow landed in Mumbai, they’ve visited Hyderabad, Jaipur and Bangalore, before heading to Delhi. Four cities in five days, yet, the adrenaline of it all is keeping the girls going. “On the first day, we didn’t understand cricket at all. Now we get it a little,” says Guseva, who’s a trained gymnast, ballet dancer and has been a cheerleader for four years for football matches in Russia.  Currently, she’s learning hip-hop and salsa in Moscow and plans to open her own dance school soon. The rest of the troupe is equally multifaceted, with four of the girls in University in Moscow, one studying to be a film director, and another a choreographer. What they all have in common is a love for dance and intense training in ballet since childhood. “The platform at the stadium is very small, so we can’t do any acrobatics,” says Aziza Eondy Daeva, 19, who’s getting restless with just a 10 second slot for their performance. At the IPL match in Hyderabad, the girls decided to risk it and skillfully managed a few sequences on a five by five feet platform, to many cheers and whistles from the audience. However, occasionally, a Coke can would land precariously close to their podium. “There are some rowdy men but we don’t mind the noise behind,” says Victoria, another of the cheerleaders. By and large, the crowds have been supportive and the girls say they find the sheer numbers in the audience invigorating.   

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