Ranking all of India's T20 World Cup jerseys from 2007 to 2021
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) gave a sneak peak of India's jersey for the upcoming 2021 T20 World Cup on Wednesday. The pattern on the jersey, according to the BCCI, is "inspired by the billion cheers of the fans" and has accordingly been termed the "Billion Cheers Jersey".
Presenting the Billion Cheers Jersey!
The patterns on the jersey are inspired by the billion cheers of the fans.
Get ready to #ShowYourGame @mpl_sport.
Buy your jersey now on mplsports.in
#MPLSports #BillionCheersJersey https://t.co/XWbZhgjBd2
Soon after the jersey was revealed, MPL Sports, the official kit sponsor for the Indian cricket team, planned a further surprise related to the new kit later in the day.
MPL's surprise came at the iconic Burj Khalifa, which lit up in Indian flag colors, before going blue as the jersey was displayed on it. Soon, jerseys with captain Virat Kohli and vice-captain Rohit Sharma's names were on display before switching to a picture with Kohli, Rohit and some other Team India members.
The jersey is a stylish dark shade of blue with diagonal, wavy stripes of a lighter blue across it. The collars are orange, with orange strips also running down on both sides.
This will be India's sixth kit in seven T20 World Cups so far.
India used the same kit in the 2009 and 2010 T20 World Cups, but have used different kits in each of the other editions.
On that note, we rank India's jerseys in all the T20 World Cups.
#6 2009 and 2010
The jersey used by India for the 2009 and 2010 T20 World Cups had a design very similar to the one used in 2007, with the colors of the national flag in a strip down the right. But there was one major difference - the color went from pale blue to a much darker shade. The collars were also changed to orange.
Sachin Tendulkar immortalized the jersey when he became the first player to hit an ODI double-century.
However, the the orange color was a bit garish against the dark blue, which was on the duller side.
It was a good jersey, but the others unfortunately pip this one in our books.
Both 2009 and 2010 were World Cups to forget for the Men in Blue, who failed to reach the semi-finals in either edition.
#5 2012
The 2012 jersey, similar to the one India wore when they won the 2011 World Cup, was a light shade of blue with strips down both sides.
However, compared to the other jerseys India have used in the marquee tournament, this one was slightly bland.
2012 was another year of disappointment for India, as they once again failed to reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup.
#4 2016
A classic blue-colored jersey with orange stripes on top gave the 2016 jersey a very cool look.
The orange design on top had a touch of novelty to it as well.
The jersey was one that did well to capture the journey of India's kits through 2010s.
India reached the semi-finals in 2016 before being knocked out by eventual champions West Indies.
#3 2021
The latest jersey is third on our list for its stylish look. Designed to reflect the support of fans, the jersey's color gives it a very oceanic vibe.
The 2021 T20 World Cup was supposed to be held in India, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced it out of the country and it was relocated to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.
But while Team India fans won't get to support their team at home, they will hope that the jersey does its job of letting the players hear their cheers loud and clear.
#2 2014
The 2014 jersey was the classic Indian blue of the 2010s, but just a little darker, giving it a suave look.
The shade of blue was a brilliant one and the relatively plain look on the torso gave it a touch of classy simplicity.
The 2014 T20 World Cup also saw India reach the final for the first time since their triumph in 2007.
However, India were edged by Sri Lanka in the summit clash.
#1 2007
It was the inaugural T20 World Cup and it was India's best as they won the title in dramatic fashion against arch-rivals Pakistan. It's hard to look beyond the jersey as the best that India have worn in the T20 World Cups.
That India won the World Cup in the jersey makes it an old-school classic, while the pale blue color was reminiscent of several Indian jerseys in the 2000s.
India began their World Cup campaign with a bowl-out win over Pakistan and finished their journey by beating the same opponents by five runs in the final.