Sponsored by Nike, the jersey has been made with the use of recycled materials once again, similar to the 2015 World Cup kit.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni said he was “proud to hand over the legacy” of the Indian jersey to future generations as Team India unveiled their new look ahead of the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
The new Indian team jersey was launched by sporting apparel giants Nike with captain Virat Kohli in attendance along with former skipper Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, Prithvi Shaw and women cricket stars Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues.
Sponsored by Nike, the jersey has been made with the use of recycled materials once again, similar to the 2015 World Cup kit which was made using recycled bottles. The colour is a slightly lighter shade of blue while “India” is sewn across in bright orange sticking to the traditional orange and blue design which the team has sported over the years.
Presenting #TeamIndia's new jersey
The new kits have arrived! As the Men in Blue put on the revamped jerseys for the first time, we take you behind the scenes to know what’s changed - by @28anand
https://t.co/pvS2ciEuqz pic.twitter.com/3oMc6aKBBo
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 2, 2019
Speaking about what the Indian jersey reminds him off, two-time World Cup-winning captain Dhoni said, "It always reminds me of the great legacy that we have got. It's not only that. Playing each and every bilateral series, reaching No 1 across formats, all these are motivational stuff."
One of the greatest to have donned the India Blues, Dhoni spoke with a lot of reverence about how the seeds of the present were sown back in 1983 when Kapil Dev lifted the World Cup.
"It feels good to always get into past a bit. During the first World Cup in 1983, we were very young. Later, saw videos of how everyone celebrated. In 2007, we won World T20. So we are good at it (World titles). It's good that we carried that legacy forward and hand it over to the future generations," the eldest statesman of Team India said.
"Hopefully, the (new) jersey becomes a part of a lot of World Cups but it is the consistency that we are really proud of," Dhoni added.
Kohli also shared a message for all aspiring India stars.
"There is certain importance and pride attached to this jersey. Everyone needs to realise that. You have to strive for excellence and show that you are obsessed to win every minute of the game. That's how you get that jersey," said Kohli.
(With PTI Inputs)
