BCCI breaks the silence by retiring from Virat Kohli’s No. 18 jersey in Mukesh Kumar’s India.
Retirement of Virat Kohli From Test cricket last month, fans left a mix of emotions. Thank you for his legacy and curiosity about what will happen next. Among many compliments, one question continues to spark a plot. What happens to the iconic 18th jersey Kohli proudly wore on his red ball journey? Indian Cricket Committee (BCCI) Although there has not been a formal announcement, recent developments suggest quiet yet important moves.
Mukesh Kumar wears number 18 all over India.
Photos of Bengal Pacers have recently attracted attention. Mukesh Kumar Wearing a number 18 jersey during the first unofficial test English Lion It went viral in Canterbury. Fans flooded social media platforms, questioning the BCCI and demanding that Kohli’s jersey be treated with the same respect as Sachin Tendulkar (No. 10) and Donna (No. 7), both were abolished after the international exit. However, it was later revealed that the number of jerseys in India was not fixed in matches and was often assigned arbitrarily. BCCI quickly removes the air and notes that Mukesh is not currently part of the senior test team.
“In Indian games, jerseys have no name. Numbers are not permanent. Players can wear any number available. Mukesh randomly choose No. 18 and have no same meaning other than international cricket. If Mukesh is drafted into the main test team, he will continue to wear the number 49 that he used in his debut Test series in West India. A senior BCCI official told PTI.
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Tradition is important in Indian cricket scenarios
Although there is no official process of retiring jersey numbers in Indian cricket, tradition and public sentiment play a major role in protecting iconic numbers. Shardul Thakur After Tendulkar’s retirement, he easily wore 10th place in ODI, leading to fan rage and quick number changes. Since Dhoni’s exit, his seventh jersey remains untouched even in international games.
Two new faces – Sai Sudarsan and Arshdeep Singh – Added to the Indian Test Team for the Tour of England, but both have been assigned different jersey numbers, further enhancing that No. 18 remains Kohli’s legacy in red ball format.
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