Kannada superstar Puneet Raj Kumar has been roped in as the new brand ambassador for the Bangalore Royal Challengers cricket group.

Puneet replaces Upendra, who cheered the group during first two IPL seasons, and will be joined by actress Ramya.

Both Puneet and Ramya will have separate stands filled with the local team's admirers.

An elated Ramya, who had been the brand ambassador earlier also, said, "I am extremely happy to be part of a cheering crowd. I am happy to share some space with a hugely popular actor like Appu (as Puneet Raj Kumar is popularly called). Appu is a huge star and I got a break in films working in his second film 'Abhi'. I think Appu and me make a heady combination."

The first match of the Bangalore Royal Challengers will take place on March 16, on the Ugadi festival when Karnataka inaugurates the New Year. The home team will confront Punjab King's XI.

Various other Kannada actors will also take a breather from their hectic shooting plans and add some glamour quotient to the cheering crowd.

Actresses Aindrita Ray and Radhika Pandit are really desperate to encourage their home group, whereas actor-director Kichcha Sudeep, an eager cricket buff and a dear friend of Rahul Dravid, will also be part of the passionate crowd.

Puneet's brother Shivaraj Kumar, who played for league matches in Chennai, stated that he will adjust his shooting dates to be part of the IPL matches every time they take place in Bangalore.

Puneet is really happy to be brand ambassador for the Royal Challengers group and said he hopes the group finally wins the trophy. (With Input from Agencies)