• BCCI's Tribute - MS Dhoni's Iconic No. 7 Jersey no longer available, 2nd after Sachin Tendulkar's No. 10: Report

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    BCCI's Tribute - MS Dhoni's Iconic No. 7 Jersey no longer available, 2nd after Sachin Tendulkar's No. 10: Report
    Players of the Indian cricket team, particularly debutants, have been informed that the choice to wear the number 7 on their jersey is...

    Digital Desk: Former India captain MS Dhoni's renowned No.7 jersey will no longer be available for purchase by any other Indian player. The BCCI has chosen to lift the number used by Dhoni during his international career, three years after the famous wicketkeeper-batter retired.

    As per Indian Express reports, the Indian cricket board made this decision to honour Dhoni's contributions to the sport since his debut in 2004. 

    According to the source, players of the Indian cricket team, particularly debutants, have been informed that the choice to wear the number 7 on their jersey is no longer accessible.

    "Young players and current Indian team players have been instructed not to wear M S Dhoni's No. 7 jersey." Dhoni's T-shirt will be retired by the BCCI in recognition of his contributions to the game. A new player cannot acquire No. 7, and No. 10 is already off the list of possible numbers, according to a top BCCI official.

    Another former player who has received this accolade is Sachin Tendulkar, whose No. 10 shirt was retired in 2017. According to ICC rules, players can choose a number between 1 and 100, although there are just a few alternatives in India.

    "At the moment, 60-odd numbers are assigned to regulars and contenders on the Indian team. So, even if a player has been off of the squad for a year or so, his number is not given to a new player. That means a newcomer has only 30-odd numbers to pick from," the BCCI official stated.

    Yashasvi Jaiswal wanted to wear No. 19 when he made his India debut earlier this year. Because veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik had already taken it, the kid had to settle for No. 64.

    In 2017, Mumbai fast bowler Shardul Thakur faced backlash from supporters for wearing the No. 10 shirt. Netizens mocked him, writing, "Trying to be Sachin." Thakur was forced to change to number 54 after the BCCI intervened.

    Other famous jersey numbers include 18, 45, and 18, which are worn by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, respectively. It would not be surprising if these jerseys were folded once the stars hung up their boots in the future.