In a show of respect and admiration for the cricketing legend, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to retire the illustrious No. 7 shirt, which MS Dhoni famously wore as his captain. This symbolic act, which he took three years after quitting international cricket, will serve as a reminder of the immense impact he had on Indian cricket.
The BCCI has informed present and prospective players that the numbers linked to these cricketing legends are off-limits, in keeping with the similar tribute given to Sachin Tendulkar’s No. 10 shirt in 2017. When it comes to choosing their jersey number, the cricket players on Team India will have fewer options thanks to this directive. The Indian roster of accessible numbers now has restrictions, even though the International Cricket Council (ICC) allows players to select any number between 1 and 100.
The number allotment for the current Indian squad and those who are in contention has already been determined, according to a senior BCCI official, leaving a small pool of perhaps 60 odd numbers. In the event that a player missed a year or more of action, the board declined to give their number to a rookie. As such, those who have just made their debut now have just about thirty possibilities to pick from, which highlights the scarcity of numbers.
A dearth of numbers among graduates
Yashasvi Jaiswal, 21, had to change course on his India debut this year when he saw his old No. 19, which he had worn when playing for the Rajasthan Royals. Dinesh Karthik, who is still active in cricket but is now a commentator, held the number. As a result of his desired number being unavailable, Jaiswal adapted by selecting No. 64 for his national team jersey.
Even in youth sports, where talented athletes compete to obtain their desired jersey number, the importance of jersey numbers is clear. Notably, the coveted No. 7 was already taken; therefore, emerging sensation Shubman Gill faced a challenge in his Under-19 career. After deciding on No. 77, Gill stuck with it when he moved up to the senior squad, demonstrating the bond players frequently form with their jersey numbers.
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