The number 7 jersey will be retired by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in an exciting move that pays homage to a former player who wore it for 16 years while representing the Indian men’s team. And that someone is none other than MS Dhoni, who his supporters adore and who goes by the nickname “Thala.” In August 2020, Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket, having played his final game for India in 2019.
The BCCI has decided to retire Dhoni’s famous jersey number seven after three years. The number 10 shirt worn by cricket great Sachin Tendulkar was retired by BCCI in 2017 prior to Dhoni. The strain to live up to the standards set by these cricket superstars will be felt by others who choose to wear these jersey numbers in the future since they have become so prestigious.
The BCCI has decided to retire Dhoni’s famous jersey number seven after three years. The number 10 shirt worn by cricket great Sachin Tendulkar was retired by BCCI in 2017 prior to Dhoni. The strain to live up to the standards set by these cricket superstars will be felt by others who choose to wear these jersey numbers in the future since they have become so prestigious.
It’s important to remember that players are permitted to select any number for their jerseys from 1 to 100 according to the International Cricket Council (ICC). A player is asked the number they like to play with when they are picked for the national squad. The player is given the number if it is available. Nevertheless, players are not assigned numbers that have been out of circulation for an extended length of time; instead, BCCI offers about 60 numbers for selection.
The BCCI stresses that they do not provide a player’s number to a new player, even if the player has been absent from the squad for a year or more. This indicates that a player who has just retired usually leaves about thirty spots up for grabs.
Yashasvi Jaiswal desired to wear the number 19 while playing for India at the start of this year. But Dinesh Karthik already had the number. Since 19 was not available, Jaiswal, who is not on the national team and is now inactive, selected number 64.
The decision made by the BCCI is indicative of the great reverence and importance that the jersey numbers of legendary players who have shaped the history of Indian cricket, such as Dhoni and Tendulkar, are accorded.