Overview

• Mukesh Kumar donned Virat Kohli’s former Test jersey number 18 during India A’s first-class match against England Lions, prompting a wave of fan criticism
• A senior BCCI official told PTI that India A jerseys have no fixed numbers, allowing players to select any number since their kits lack names
• The BCCI maintains that Test numbers are sacrosanct and that iconic numbers such as 10, 7 and 18 are traditionally reserved as an honor for retired stars
• Mukesh Kumar is not part of India’s Test squad and would revert to his senior debut number 49 if he joins the Test side as a replacement
• Incoming Test debutants B Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh have been assigned distinct numbers, underscoring the board’s commitment to legacy preservation