Pakyong, 2 February : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has recently taken a significant step by announcing the retirement of the No. 7 jersey worn by Team India players.
This decision is a fitting tribute to the cricketing legend MS Dhoni, who donned the No. 7 jersey and successfully led India to victory in three major championships.
Much like the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar’s No. 10 in 2017, the symbolic gesture of retiring the No. 7 jersey underscores the extraordinary contributions of these cricket maestros.
The No. 7 jersey holds a special significance for MS Dhoni beyond the cricket field. Contrary to mere coincidence, Dhoni has previously revealed that his choice of the No. 7 jersey is not tied to his birthday on July 7 but rather because the number holds a personal sense of luck for him.
In line with this decision, the BCCI has communicated to the national team players that they are no longer allowed to opt for jersey numbers 7 and 10. A senior board official elaborated on the rationale behind this move, stating, “The BCCI decided to retire Dhoni’s T-shirt as a tribute to his contribution to the game. New players can’t have No. 7, and No. 10 was already not available.” This restriction adds a layer of exclusivity to these numbers, emphasizing the impact and legacy of the cricketing icons associated with them.
While the International Cricket Council (ICC) permits players to choose numbers between 1 and 100, the BCCI’s decision further limits the options for Indian team players. With approximately 60 available numbers for both current and aspiring players, securing a preferred jersey number becomes a challenging task. The official clarified, “Even if a player is out of the team for about a year, we don’t give his number to a new player. So, a recent debutant has only about 30 numbers to choose from.”
The retirement of jersey numbers is not unique to cricket, as it is a global practice observed in sports like football and basketball. Renowned figures such as Diego Maradona and Michael Jordan retired their jersey numbers to immortalize their legacies. In a rare instance, Kobe Bryant had two jersey numbers retired in his honor. The BCCI’s decision ensures that the No. 7 and No. 10 jerseys will forever hold a special place in the history of cricket, serving as a lasting tribute to the profound impact of these cricketing icons.
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