In an unexpected turn of events during the India A vs England Lions unofficial Test in Canterbury, pacer Mukesh Kumar was spotted wearing Jersey No. 18, a number etched in perpetuity as that of former Indian captain Virat Kohli.
Kohli himself recently retired from Test cricket on the England tour, which led to emotional tributes and debates about retiring his legendary jersey number. But the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has made it clear that the Jersey No. 18 incident was not a violation of any protocol.
BCCI Clarifies: “No Fixed Jersey Numbers in India A Matches”
A top BCCI official spoke about the incident, saying:
“Mukesh wore Jersey No. 18 during the opening ‘Test’ match versus the Lions. But when it comes to the India A squad, there are no fixed numbers as jerseys don’t have names. Anyone can pick any random number. The jersey numbers are only sacrosanct for international games.”
This clarification puts an end to the social media buzz around the reuse of Jersey No. 18, especially after Kohli retires from red-ball cricket.
Mukesh Kumar won’t wear jersey No. 18 in Test Cricket
While Mukesh Kumar wore Jersey No. 18 during the unofficial Test, he won’t be sporting this number in official Test cricket. The Bengal pacer, who has already played for India in 3 Tests, 6 ODIs, and 17 T20Is, will wear his regular Jersey No. 49 should he be picked for the senior national team. Mukesh is presently not in India’s core Test team for the English series, with Akash Deep given the preference.
Past Incidents: Not the First Jersey Number Mix-Up
It is not the first instance of a player sporting a jersey number that was made famous by a legendary cricketer. Earlier, Shardul Thakur had faced criticism after sporting Jersey No. 10, a number made legendary by Sachin Tendulkar, during an ODI match against Sri Lanka.
Notably, since the retirement of MS Dhoni, no Indian player has donned Jersey No. 7, reflecting the unwritten respect accorded to great numbers in Indian cricket.
Mukesh Kumar’s Performance against England Lions
Even after a dismal IPL 2025 season with Delhi Capitals (DC), Mukesh was part of the India A side and performed reasonably well:
Overs Bowled: 25 (including 5 maidens)
Runs Conceded: 92
Wickets Taken: 3
Key Wicket: Max Holden (101 runs off 101 balls)
Other Wickets: James Rew (captain), Rehan Ahmed (leg-spinner)
Mukesh had the most impressive Indian A bowling figures of the match.
India A vs England Lions: Match Recap
England Lions dominated the first innings with a score of 587, where there were three centurions. In reply, India A batters too impressed:
Karun Nair: 204 (made his Test return)
Sarfaraz Khan & Dhruv Jurel: Got out in the 90s
Second Innings Fifties: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran (skipper), Jurel, Nitish Kumar Reddy
India A took a 211-run lead, and the match ended in a draw on June 2.
Jersey No. 18 Symbolism Lives On
Even though Jersey No. 18 is apparently associated with Virat Kohli, the BCCI has pointed out that in unofficial or India A matches, the jersey numbers were never permanent or retired. Kohli’s jersey number continues to evoke sentimentality right now, but in international cricket, it still represents something in respect and having exclusivity.
ALSO READ: IPL 2025 Final Closing Ceremony: Artists, Timings, Venue And Watch Live
