Indian team hints at retiring No. 7 jersey in the ICC Test Championship

The Indian team will commence its Caribbean tour in the first week of August with a 3 match T20I series. It will be followed by ODIs and Test matches respectively. Virat Kohli‘s men will be playing their first Test series after their landmark victory in Down Under earlier in the year.

The top-ranked Test team will be again trying to put up a dominant show on the foreign soil The red ball sojourn will include two games at Antigua and Jamaica. Coincidentally the series will also mark the beginning of India’s Test championship journey which is the latest plan laid out by ICC to popularize the classic format.

The Indian selection panel has already finalized the 15 member squad. The team which lifted the trophy in Australia has not been tinkered much with the only change being the inclusion of keeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha. The fans will also see a makeover in the playing kits with the notable one being the introduction of jersey numbers.

Legacy of No.7

The Indian team has always treated their former players with utmost respect including Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni. Both these players have etched their names in the history books of Indian cricket with their immense contributions. Such is their aura that the team retired the No.10 jersey after the Little Master bid farewell to cricket. Now the pattern is expected to continue in the upcoming Test series with the board deciding to retire No.7, donned by Captain Cool.

It is learned that most of the Indian players will opt for their limited-overs jersey numbers. “Virat is expected to wear 18 while Rohit wears 45,” a senior BCCI said.

As per a senior BCCI official, the players are likely to opt their ODI jersey numbers. He further added that is highly unlikely that the current stars will select No.7 as their preferred choice as the number represents the legacy of India’s World Cup captain. Along with it he also informed that the kits will be arriving after the limited-overs leg.

“Most of the players will wear their respective ODI and T20 numbers. Since Dhoni is no longer playing Test cricket, jersey No 7 is available but there is very little chance that any of the players will wear it. People relate jersey No 7 with MS. The consignment of numbered jerseys will only arrive in the Caribbean only after ODI series.”

While the former Indian skipper has taken a two-month sabbatical from the game to serve the Indian Army.