BCCI denies rumours of India wearing alternate kit for ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match against Pakistan

India will play in their iconic blue color jersey against Pakistan in Ahmedabad.

Team India have decided to change their practice kit for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 in India. Indian players were spotted wearing something different from their usual blue colors while training for the games in the World Cup 2023 warm-up round as well as against Australia at Chepauk Stadium. They were seen wearing an orange kit for the practice and an iconic blue one for the game. This also raised a few speculations about India’s fixture in the tournament.

There were a few media reports that claimed team India will be wearing their new orange jersey for the game against Pakistan on Saturday. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer Ashish Shelar denied the reports and also informed that India will be playing in their iconic blue jersey at Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad against Pakistan. There were also reports of the jersey going for auction to collect funds for UNESCO after the game.

Ashish Shelar denies the reports of India wearing alternate kit

The BCCI treasurer Ashish Shelar denied the reports and said, “We categorically dismiss the media reports that the Indian team will be donning an alternative match kit against Pakistan. These reports are absolutely baseless and the work of someone’s imagination. The Men in Blue will sport India colors, that is, blue, at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.” Team India will be playing against Pakistan in Ahmedabad to retain their dominance against men in green in World Cup events.

Teams cannot change their jersey as and when they want to because the ICC’s approval is needed even for a bilateral series to play with a different color than their original. India played with an alternate kit in the 2019 World Cup as the ICC decided on a home-and-away kit concept when colours of both teams matched. India played with a orange-colored kit against England, as England were also using blue, and being a home team, they didn’t have to change their kit.

India suffered their only league-stage defeat in the 2019 World Cup while playing in their alternate orange jersey against England. Team India have opened their World Cup campaign against Australia at Chepauk Stadium in Chennai. They will play their second game against Afghanistan on Wednesday at Arun Jaitley Cricket Stadium in Delhi and then move to Ahmedabad for a big game against Pakistan on Saturday.