- By Namrata Vijay
- Thu, 30 Oct 2025 02:21 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
IND-A vs SA-A 1st Unofficial Test: India star wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has finally returned to competitive cricket after a three-month injury layoff. He is currently seen in action for India A in the first unofficial Test match against South Africa in Bengaluru, where his presence gained attention, not just for his comeback but also for the jersey he wore.
Pant, who is leading the team from the front, was seen wearing Virat Kohli's No.18 jersey, and this is a number that has been associated with Kohli throughout his illustrious career. The image of Pant wearing the same jersey led to a debate on social media, where the fans wondered whether he had changed his jersey No.17.
His comeback to competitive cricket is a big step in his recovery, as he had sustained a foot injury in the 4th Test series against England. This injury made him miss the Asia Cup and the Test series against West Indies, but this two-match series against South Africa has given him a perfect chance to regain his form ahead of the Test series against South Africa next month.
Pant has been attending training sessions at the CoE for the last few weeks and was working on his batting and wicketkeeping skills under the guidance of NCA coaches. All set to replace Dhruv Jurel in India's Test team, Pant's comeback is being seen as a huge boost for the host's Test match plans.
But the No.18 jersey was the highlight of the day. After Virat Kohli announced his retirement from the longest format earlier this year, fans consider this number as a sign of his legacy. A lot of the fans have also requested the board to retire this number, like they have done for Sachin Tendulkar's No. 10 and MS Dhoni's No. 7, but the BCCI hasn't taken any such decision.
It isn't the first time that an Indian cricketer has donned the No.18 jersey after Kohli's Test retirement. Pacer Mukesh Kumar, too, was seen wearing this jersey in an unofficial Test match against England Lions and was thus slammed by the fans who thought that he was making fun of Kohli.
A BCCI official then had to clarify that players can choose any jersey they want while playing for India A, since these games don't have personalized jerseys.
"When it comes to India A squads, there are no fixed numbers as jerseys do not have names. Anyone can pick any random number. The jersey numbers are only sacrosanct for international games," the official was quoted as saying to PTI.