Indian cricket team opener Shikhar Dhawan, on Tuesday, took to social media to flaunt the new jersey of Team India for the Australia tour. The kit is based on the 1992 World Cup India jersey.
Finer details of retro kit included coloured stripes on the shoulder; exactly as it was in the 1992 India jersey.
India team's new jersey, however, sports the new principle sponsors Byju’s and kit sponsors MPL. The trend of bringing back the retro kit was brought in by the Australian cricket team when they wore a retro jersey against India in January last year. The likes of England and New Zealand soon followed suit.
The Men in Blue will don the new jersey for the three One-Day Internationals and three T20 Internationals before taking on Australia in a four-match Test series. Dhawan took to social media to unveil the first look and said, “New Jersey, renewed motivation, Read to Go.”
New jersey, renewed motivation. Ready to go. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/gKG9gS78th
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) November 24, 2020
After Nike decided to part ways with India, ending its long-term association with the team in September, MPL got the rights for three years. It was later confirmed that the new kit sponsor cannot copy the ‘design’ used by Nike, and thus the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to consult the team for the new design. The squad eventually selected the 1992 kit.
Former India wicketkeeper Kiran More, who was a part of India's 1992 World Cup squad, took to Twitter to express his delight and said he was surprised that the new boys decided to go retro.
Look what I found myself! The original jersey of the 1992 @ICC @cricketworldcup, still fits me very well. It brought back all the fond memories, what a tournament it was, as the great Richie Benaud would say on air: simply superb! #cricket pic.twitter.com/puqpXauUk5
— Kiran More (@JockMore) November 25, 2020
“I come across many people who agree that this was the best jersey of the Indian team. The colour is amazing and it is still fresh in people’s minds. It was the first time we played a World Cup in coloured clothing and with the white ball. Ask any cricketer from my generation and they will say the 1992 World Cup jersey is the best. We had played in coloured clothing earlier but not at a World Cup,” More told The Indian Express.
The fan, on their part, were in split as some thought it was a good idea to go retro, some voiced their concerns over the sponsors' logos.
About time we start demanding some basic aesthetic standards from BCCI. Those jerseys for IPL teams and Team India are starting to look like Billboards. Just have one kit sponsor on the jersey and limit the size of the logo. You can earn from selling jerseys if you do them right.
— cricBC (@cricBC) November 24, 2020
1992 jerseys were remembered fondly because a) first time most Indians saw coloured Jerseys, b) they were clean, before sponsors took over all ad spaces....
— Gappistan Radio (@GappistanRadio) November 24, 2020
Now Byjus and MPL (what is that?) look set to ruin that memory
There will come a time when the only thing new about a Team's jersey will be the amount of logos and their placement.#changingtimes #AUSvIND
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) November 24, 2020
I was so looking forward to the new India kit. Thought nobody could spoil it. But turns out, it is hideous with two huge fonts that overshadow the team's logo. Club teams make better kits these days. This looks pedestrian.
— Venkata Krishna B (@venkatatweets) November 24, 2020
Scam 1992. pic.twitter.com/NjyidFwXLP
— Manya (@CSKian716) November 24, 2020
1992 World Cup jersey replica. Perhaps the best Indian jersey ever. Certainly very high recollection that being the first CWC telecast in India at high quality by private TV channels. https://t.co/9woWlFjfhr
— Aashish Chandorkar (@c_aashish) November 24, 2020
New Team India jersey... proper throwback to the 1992 World Cup in Australia.
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) November 24, 2020
Not sure if it’s only for ODIs or all white-ball cricket. #AusvInd #INDvAUS
Pic credit: @SDhawan25 IG. pic.twitter.com/Dur9azSpXZ
Feature image courtesy: Twitter / @SDhawan25
