Virat Kohli Jersey Controversy: Why Mukesh Kumar Donned No. 18 in India A Match, BCCI Explains

Ahead of the England tour, former India Test captain Virat Kohli announced his retirement from red-ball cricket. Following this, many expected his No. 18 jersey to be retired as a tribute. However, during the first unofficial Test between India A and England Lions in Canterbury on June 2, pacer Mukesh Kumar wore the No. 18 jersey. The match ended in a draw.

Mukesh Kumar wasn’t selected in India’s main Test team since Akash Deep got the nod for the five-match series against England led by Ben Stokes. If Mukesh does join as a replacement, he won’t take over Kohli’s jersey number 18. Instead, he will stick with his regular number 49, which he has used in multiple international matches across formats.

A senior BCCI official told PTI, “Mukesh wore No. 18 during the first unofficial Test against England Lions, but in India A matches jersey numbers aren’t fixed as the shirts don’t have names. Players can pick any number they want. Jersey numbers only carry significance in official international matches.” 

Mukesh Kumar faces online abuse for wearing Virat Kohli's jersey number 18. pic.twitter.com/xKhexf9OJf

— Rupesh Choudhari (@Rupesh2202) June 1, 2025

This isn’t the first time a player has been seen wearing a number linked to a cricket legend. A few years ago, Shardul Thakur took the field wearing jersey No. 10 famously worn by Sachin Tendulkar and it sparked criticism from fans. On the other hand, since MS Dhoni stepped away from international cricket, no Indian player has opted to wear the iconic No. 7 jersey.

Mukesh Kumar Leads India A’s Bowling Fightback as Karun Nair Hits Double Ton in Drawn Match

After a quiet IPL 2025 season with Delhi Capitals, Mukesh Kumar made a strong return in red-ball cricket with the India A team. He delivered 25 overs including five maidens gave away 92 runs, and took three key wickets. His standout dismissal was Max Holden, who had scored a run-a-ball century. Mukesh also sent back England Lions skipper James Rew and leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed. Among India A’s bowlers, his performance was the most impressive in the match.

England Lions batters put up a strong show with three of them scoring centuries to take their total to 587. But India A responded well with the bat. Karun Nair made a strong case for his Test return with a double century (204). Sarfaraz Khan and Dhruv Jurel also played solid knocks but missed out on centuries, both falling in the 90s. In the second innings, Yashasvi Jaiswal, skipper Abhimanyu Easwaran, Jurel, and Nitish Kumar Reddy chipped in with fifties. India A were 211 runs ahead when the match ended in a draw.

Jersey Numbers Retired in Indian Cricket

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