The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that the Indian cricket team will adhere to all uniform regulations set by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the upcoming Champions Trophy. Addressing speculation about objections to the host nation’s name on the team jersey, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia clarified that there have been no issues raised regarding the dress code.
“The BCCI will follow every uniform-related ICC rule during the Champions Trophy,” Saikia told PTI. “Whatever the other teams will do regarding the logo and dress code, we are going to follow in true letter and spirit.”
The clarification comes amidst unconfirmed media reports suggesting that the BCCI had objected to the inclusion of host Pakistan’s name on the Indian team’s jerseys due to strained political relations between the two countries. However, Saikia denied these rumors, stating that the BCCI had no reservations about complying with established ICC protocols.
This aligns with previous ICC tournaments, such as the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup held in India, where visiting Pakistan players wore jerseys bearing the host country’s name as per tradition.
Due to security concerns, the BCCI has decided that the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan. Instead, India’s matches, including the highly anticipated league-stage clash against arch-rivals Pakistan, will be played in Dubai under a hybrid model. If India advances to the semi-finals and final, those matches will also be held in Dubai.
The Champions Trophy, scheduled to begin on February 19, 2025, will see India kick off their campaign against Bangladesh on February 20 in Dubai.
The decision regarding India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, participating in ICC’s pre-tournament media engagements, including a press conference and official photo shoot in Lahore, is still under discussion. “Whether Rohit Sharma travels to Pakistan for ICC media engagements is something that’s still not decided,” Saikia added.
The ICC traditionally hosts these pre-tournament events in the host nation, but with India opting out of travel to Pakistan, logistical challenges arise. It remains unclear if the ICC will relocate the pre-tournament captains’ engagements to the UAE to accommodate India, which would involve additional logistical considerations for other participating teams.
The Champions Trophy will be played under a hybrid model for the first time, with Pakistan hosting the majority of matches. The opening match, featuring Pakistan and New Zealand, will take place in Karachi on February 19.
India’s decision to shift their matches to Dubai marks another instance of cricket adapting to geopolitical realities while maintaining adherence to tournament protocols.
Further updates are expected as the ICC finalizes arrangements for captains’ media engagements and other logistical details for the event.