Cricket is not just a sport in India; for us, it’s emotions and the cricket jersey—one of our most prized possessions. Whether there is an important match for India, a Sunday evening game with friends, or just an outing, we wear the blue jersey with much pride. These jerseys that our players put on when playing on the field and all Indian cricket fans in the gallery when cheering for our players reflect a rich legacy and passion.
From the time India started participating in the World Cup to the present time, through all the exciting wins and heartbreaking defeats, the journey of the jersey has been nothing less than iconic. Join us as we explore the revolution of the Indian cricket team jersey. Fun fact: We shall also discuss how the Indian cricket team jersey got its legendary blue colour!
The Debut: 1975 Men’s World Cup
When India first entered the running for the World Cup, the team was in all white. That is because, for the first four editions of the World Cup, the white jersey was the standard kit for all the players.
Visualise Kapil Deb lifting India’s first-ever World Cup trophy in 1983 with the legendary team; yes, they were wearing white.
Introduction of Colours: 1992 Cricket World Cup
From the 1992 World Cup, all the teams started wearing coloured jerseys. The patterns of all team jerseys were the same, while they had different colours.
As you can guess, it was then that India embraced the dark blue shade. How did we pick the blue? The team jersey was to reflect one of the colours of our National Flag. Blue was the final pick and represented unity, strength, and hope. The colour became an instant hit and a matter of pride for the entire nation. Over the next few years, the hype to buy Indian cricket team jersey went through many changes, but blue in different shades remained content and adored by all.
1993 – 1994
During this time, a bright yellow became part of the Indian cricket team jersey. The shirt was yellow, and the pants were in the known shade of blue. The vibrant combination certainly drew some attention.
1996 World Cup: Year of Yellow
The yellow and blue combination prevailed, but this time, a lighter shade of blue was chosen. Instead of a complete yellow shirt, there were all blue jerseys with yellow patterns on the shirt with some multicoloured arrows.
1997 and The 1999 World Cup: About First Appearances
In the year 1997, the BCCI logo first appeared on the blue and yellow jersey. Whereas the logo sat on the left side of the jersey, during the 1999 World Cup, Indian players were seen carrying the BCCI crest printed in yellow on their blue jerseys. The bold design turned this jersey into one of the most iconic kits.
2001 World Cup: Something Old and Something New
‘INDIA’ – the name of our nation in bright yellow was placed right in the middle of the light blue jersey. Stripes in a matching yellow stood on both sides of the jersey from the chest down. The BCCI logo remained but changed its position to the right side of the jersey.
The 2003 Indian Cricket Team Jersey: Sachin’s Magic
It was the year for the God of Cricket – it was the year for our very own Sachin Tendulkar. The performance he showed throughout the tournament was phenomenal. It was the first time, after our first World Cup win, that India reached the finals. The jersey? The dark blue we all know and love so much, with India written over Indian tricolour brushstrokes – a touch of artistry!
2007 ODI and T20 World Cup: The Story of Underdog Team
We lost in the group stage of the ODI World Cup – there seemed to be a gloomy cloud over the entire nation. But then came the T20 World Cup, and the team had done the impossible. The team lifted the trophy in a light blue jersey with the tricolour stripe going down the right side. The cloud was gone, and the celebration was on!
2011 World Cup: Indian Cricket Team Jersey that Led to Much-Awaited Victory
Sachin Tendulkar, on the shoulders of the rest of Team India, took the iconic victory lap in the Wankhede Stadium; we had claimed the 2011 World Cup. We can close our eyes and see the slightly dark blue jersey with ‘India’ in the middle in bright orange and tricolour stripes running down on both sides.
2015 World Cup Jersey
The team reached the semi-finals with Virat Kohli’s smashing performance, but it wasn’t our year to win. The Indian cricket team jersey adorned the same blue shade we saw back in 2011. This time, there are minor details in orange and some subtle stripes in blue.
2019 Indian Cricket Team World Cup Jersey
Dark and light blue with details in orange – the colour combination was similar to the past year, yet the design was quite fresh. Dhoni’s run out and India coming home from the semi-finals – heartbreaking! On another note, this was the first-ever match when India was playing in a home and away jersey.
The 2023 Indian Cricket Team Jersey: Forever Engraved in Fans’ Minds
Three jerseys for the ODIs, T20s and Tests – a dark blue jersey with orange and white details, a light blue jersey with orange and white details, and a white jersey with details in blue! All three jerseys had a sharp, smart look.
Special Mention: The Three Stars
On the top left side of the jersey were placed three shining stars representing the three World Cup victories of India. These stars filled our hearts with pride. No doubt these jerseys are a popular pick whenever a fan decides to buy Indian cricket team jersey.
Wrapping Up!
Each time the Indian cricket team is ready to compete for a title, a new set of jerseys and kits is launched. Over the years, blue became our peaceful retreat, and the addition of yellows, oranges, and other colours, in addition to stripes and unique details, brought us joy. Amid the many changes, two things remain constant – our passion and respect for the jersey!
