Should BCCI consider to retire Jersey No. 18 and 45?

pritam-santra — Tue, 13 May 2025 12:22:13 GMT

45 18.webp

Cricket is not only about depicting numbers or records; it is about mutual respect, the respect players earned and deserved for their hardship, dedication, and achievements, which glorifies an entire nation. Along with world cricket, Indian cricket has walked a long way.

When India first stepped into the field to participate in the game, it was mostly dominated by the West Indies and then Australia; in the meantime, India was considered an underdog. After the success of '83 under the leadership of legendary Kapil Dev, India had to wait a long time to recapture the prestigious ICC World Cup, which marks the highest order of the game.

MS Dhoni broke the deadlock by claiming the 2007 ICC T20I World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup. India, with 3 top-tier achievements, then needed someone who could drive the team ahead for more silverware.

Cricket in the modern world is mostly dependent on a compact team game. Individuals can do wonders for a certain period of time but not for years and years. During the hours of need, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli stepped in. Two cricketers with completely different characteristics, batting styles, and observations were dreaming of making their nation the best on the planet.

Should BCCI retire those two jersy numbers?

When Rohit and Virat concluded their Test and T20I careers, almost a decade after they made their debuts, they had achieved almost everything a cricketer wants to live with. Cricket fans think about both cricketers and imagine two jersey numbers as well; one is 45 and another one is 18, the jersey numbers of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, respectively.

After the announcements from Test cricket, Indian cricket fans are curious to know in which way BCCI will pay tribute to these two legends. Previously, the board opted to retire the jersey number 7, marked by MS Dhoni, and jersey number 10, iconic Sachin Tendulkar's jersey. Should BCCI need to do the same to show the obvious respect Sharma and Kohli deserve? Fans started to question.