While buying a jersey, we have this fascination with getting our favourite player’s name and number imprinted on the back. The reasons behind sporting the name and jersey numbers of our favourites for every individual are different, but all of them are based on sheer emotions.
With all said and done, there are a few jerseys in cricket that have spread like wildfire across the globe. They have been successful in dismantling all borders and have united hordes of cricket fans under the banner of the sport.
In this story, we will take a quick look at five popular jersey numbers that have reached the sky with their multi-dimensional craze because of the digits being sported by icons of the game and being turned sacred by the Gods.
10 – Sachin Tendulkar
The God himself is the pinnacle of popularity across the Indian and worldwide fans. The chants of “Sachin, Sachin” still echoes in the ears of the fans despite his farewell from the game almost a decade ago.
The man epitomized and exemplified a brand of sportsmanship that was only heard in the lore. He brought together the entire nation and performed a few crazily impossible acts which could only be conceptualized in the wildest dreams. The master of 100 centuries and 34000 plus international runs immortalized the pinnacle of jersey numbers.
333 – Chris Gayle
The Universe Boss found a new lease of life with the advent of T20 cricket. Despite being one of the reckoning forces in ODI cricket, Gayle found it extremely challenging to survive in the circuit for a longer period of time. Without a second thought, he is one of the most dominant strikers of the ball and even at the age of 41 plus, he is ruling the roost in the shortest format of the sport.
The solitary man to have notched up 14000 plus T20 runs, Chris Gayle has completely focused on the shortest format of the sport, playing for West Indies and various other franchises across the face of the planet. His best Test score of 333 will eventually come back to be his jersey number and also become one of the zaniest figures to be donned on one’s back ever since the Spartan sported it for the first time.
18 – Virat Kohli
Ever since his arrival from the U-19 Indian team to the senior national team, Virat Kohli has been a swivelling ember of brilliance. His grace in playing those effusive strokes laced with sheer dominance has been a delight for his fans.
The Indian run-machine dons on the jersey number 18 and this number have started a craze so astronomical that people would simply get this tattooed onto their skin. It isn’t just the batsman Kohli that has inspired them, but his crazy work ethic is what makes him a formidable vanguard to watch out for on and off the field. He dons on the number as a tribute to his father, who passed away on the 18th.
#7 – MS Dhoni
The man delivering India on countless occasions, including the one where he would go on to smash the telling blow that won India the World Cup after 28 years, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has romanticized the number 7 for all the crazy Indian fans.
The best wicket-keeper and one of the best finishers of all time, MS Dhoni hardwired team India with a winning mentality so strong that the Blues started flipping the tide even in the face of death himself. The man with 15000 plus international runs wreaked havoc with the willow and behind the timbre in equal measures. In fact, he also stated that when he made his debut in the Indian national team, this was the only number that was left which co-incidentally matched with his birthdate.
#17 – AB de Villiers
There are two different probabilities about this jersey number that was sported by Mr. 360 and one of the iconic cricketers of all time, AB de Villiers. The man could wreak havoc with his willow and also pull off some magical saves while fielding.
The first probability that revolves around ABD donning on number 17 is because of his birthday is on that date, while the second one cites that he deems 17 to be his lucky number. Lucky or not, this man was and is definitely an ill omen for his opposition.
