Back in 1983 when India won the World Cup for the first time, the team did not have cricket jerseys, donning whites instead. The format of the World Cup was a 60-over one back then, instead of 50 overs like it is today. Thanks to Kerry Packer’s innovations, stylish cricket jersey designs were first worn in limited-overs cricket in 1978. This was the first day-night match that was played and a white cricket ball and black sightscreen also made their debut then.
However, coloured, full-handed cricket jerseys were incorporated into international cricket only in the ’80s. Australia was the first team to wear a cricket jersey other than the whites in ODI cricket. Though, these innovations were used in totality only in the 1992 World Cup. By 2000, all the teams from around the world had adopted the change while Test cricket continued with the traditional whites.
India began to adopt these innovations in the mid-80s. The Indian cricket team’s jerseys have seen quite a few changes, especially during the 90s. The mid-2000 saw a bit more consistency in the Indian cricket jerseys thanks to the advent of kit sponsor Nike.
For well over three decades, the Indian cricket team jersey has maintained the identity of the team on the field. The Indian cricket team had first traded their conventional whites for cricket jerseys at the 1985 Benson & Hedges World Championship of Cricket held in Australia. While cricket jersey designs have changed several times since then, Team India has now come to be identified as the Men in Blue today for their blue-coloured cricket jersey.
Some of the Indian cricket jerseys are now iconic, each attached to a historic moment. The Indian cricket team’s new jersey, a throwback to their retro looks at the 1992 Cricket World Cup, is the perfect example of that. The 1992 jersey remains one of the best cricket jersey designs those Indian cricketers have sported since 1985.
So here we take a look at how the Indian cricket team jersey has evolved over the years.
1985
The Indian cricket team donned a new cricket jersey model for the first time at the 1985 Benson & Hedges World Championship of Cricket in Australia, which they won by defeating arch-rivals Pakistan in the finals. Over 35 years back is when we could trace India’s transformation from classic whites to yellow and blue jerseys. With no sponsor’s names and bold text, this was one of the simplest jerseys India has had.
1992
By 1991-92, to the relief of everyone, two important additions were made, and team and player names were added to the cricket jerseys. The 1992 Benson & Hedges World Cup held in Australia and New Zealand was the first edition of the quadrennial tournament where every team donned new cricket jersey models.
With blue, green, red and white stripes in the shoulder region, India decided to sport a dark and bold version of the blue (navy blue) below it. The World Cup logo was imprinted on the cricket jersey. The player’s name was written in bold on the back of the jersey. It was very similar to the one England wore, with the England cricket jersey being a light blue shade.
1994
During India’s tour of New Zealand in 1994, Sachin Tendulkar opened the batting in ODI cricket for the first time. During the series, India adopted a yellow-navy blue jersey. It is widely considered one of the most stylish cricket jersey designs of the Indian cricket team.
1996
More than twenty-five years ago, India’s cricket jersey was a combination of a yellow and a pale shade of blue. The jersey had alternating white and yellow horizontal stripes and a stand-out yellow collar. It also had random rainbow-coloured arrows running across the chest and down the sleeves. This full-sleeve cricket jersey design was worn by India at the 1996 World Cup.
1998
This year is best remembered for Sachin Tendulkar’s “desert storm” innings, which ensured India qualified for the tri-series finals, which also included Australia and New Zealand. The Indian cricket team jersey featured a light blue shirt, dark blue trousers with saffron and a green Indian flag prominent on both sides. The light and dark combination suited the Indian cricket team as they looked really cool in this jersey.
1999
At the 1999 World Cup, India once again wore sky blue cricket jerseys, with large Y shapes from the BCCI logo running diagonally across the shirt. The yellow stripes and arrows were transformed into a yellow pattern with a black border running across the chest diagonally. The bright yellow stand-out collar was given a black border, highlighting it even more. The stylish cricket jersey design is still quite popular with replica shirts being sold.
2003
The cricket jersey model was designed exclusively for the 2003 World Cup. Yellow was mostly replaced with new black patches on the sides of the kit. Brushstrokes of the Indian tricolour and ‘India’ in bold yellow font stood out on the front of the cricket jersey. Both sides of the track pants and one side of the collar received small Indian flags as well.
2007
The 2007 Cricket World Cup was one of India’s darkest times in the 50-overs format as they crashed out in the group stage of the tournament. The Indian team donned a light shade of blue with the tri-colour strapped to the right side while “India” was written across the middle in yellow.
2011
The 2011 Indian cricket team jersey is clearly etched in every cricket fan’s mind, mainly because that was the year the squad won the World Cup after a long gap of 28 years. The shade of blue has become the darkest it has ever been. Orange was added to the sides and the text.
2015
Sponsored by Nike, the Indian cricket jersey was made out of 33 recycled plastic bottles. There were patterns of slightly darker blue all across the jersey. The team’s name was written in saffron font once again but with a white border this time around. Sublimation cricket jersey designs were also introduced for the first time in this World Cup.
2019
The 2019 World Cup jersey was a simple one! It was a dark shade of blue and predominantly orange. Blue upfront and orange on the back and the sleeves.