By: Aditya Ahuja
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly made a big decision regarding the iconic No. 7 jersey worn by former World Cup-winning captain MS Dhoni. The BCCI has decided to retire his jersey number, rendering it unavailable for any future player.
Usually, a cricketer is allowed to choose his desired jersey number before making his India debut. As per ICC rules, they are allowed to pick any number between 1 to 100, but the BCCI has informed the young Indian players that they can’t request for the No.7 jersey anymore.
Dhoni’s jersey number is the second to be retired by the BCCI, after the No. 10 worn by Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar ended his international career in 2013, and since then no Indian player had worn a No. 10 jersey in international cricket until Shardul Thakur did it in 2017, prompting the BCCI to officially retire that number.
Earlier this week, Google India paid tribute to Dhoni in a unique manner, celebrating the significance of the number ‘seven’. They highlighted its prominence across diverse realms: seven colors in the rainbow, seven days in a week, seven wonders of the world, seven major seas, and even seven continents. Google India shared this insightful text via their official X (formerly Twitter) handle, emphasising the unparalleled significance of the number seven.
Dhoni stands as one of India’s best-ever white-ball captains, steering the ‘Men in Blue’ to victory in all the ICC tournaments during his reign. His leadership also saw a remarkable five-title triumph for his franchise- Chennai Super Kings, in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL).
Despite Dhoni’s retirement from international cricket, he continues to actively participate in franchise cricket, poised to lead the Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming IPL season in 2024.
