Former cricketer Suresh Raina has urged the BCCI to retire jersey numbers 18 and 45, in honor of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, following their T20I retirements.
Former India cricketer Suresh Raina has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to retire jersey numbers 18 and 45 in honor of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. After winning the T20 World Cup 2024, Kohli and Sharma retired from T20I cricket, prompting Raina’s request.
Raina noted that the BCCI had previously retired number seven for MS Dhoni and should do the same for Kohli and Sharma. He believes that seeing these iconic jersey numbers will motivate young players to create their own legacies.
“I request the BCCI to retire jerseys No.18 and No.45. They need to have a special occasion where they keep these jersey numbers in their office. The number 7 is already retired, they should do the same for 18 and 45. Every person who sees the number should get motivated. The numbers 18 and 45 have won India games from so many situations that whichever player comes into the team, they should feel motivated by just looking at these numbers,” Raina told JioCinema.
Former cricketer Abhinav Mukund also highlighted the pressure players would face if they wore jersey numbers 18 or 45. He emphasized the immense expectations on any player who wears the No. 18 jersey in future matches.
“I follow the NBA and they retire the players’ iconic jerseys. That’s exactly what you need to do. Imagine the pressure on the next guy who is going to wear the No.18 jersey and walk out to bat,” Mukund said.
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Both players will continue to play in Test and ODI cricket, and the BCCI may consider retiring their jersey numbers once they retire from all formats.
Last Updated on July 5, 2024
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