For the first time in 142 years, Test cricketers will wear shirts with their name and number on the back for the new era of the ICC Test Championship, which begins with the Ashes in August.
As part of the change, the upcoming Ashes series – beginning from August 1 at Edgbaston - will be the first tournament to behold the change. Since 1877, Test cricketers have donned plain white kits before eventual changes like numbers on the cap and numbers below the badge came into existence. Apart from that, several new modulations have been introduced over the years which involves day-night Tests coupled with the change in ball colour.
While the domestic circuit in England and Australia has already adopted the change, other countries are yet to accept the norm. In the Australia though, shirt numbers cannot exceed than two digits.
There, however, has been a growing sense of concern and friction amongst the reactionaries regarding the change, but Australian batsman Travis Head says he will welcome the change with open heart.
"It doesn't bother me in the slightest, and I think if it helps the fans then that's a good thing," Head told cricket.com.au.
"That's why they brought it into Shield cricket, so that people could identify players they probably don't see all that often, especially now with games being live-streamed.
"Obviously, the detail in the television coverage these days is pretty good, so I guess this is aimed more at people who are at the ground.
"It's not like the introduction of the pink ball for Test cricket, it's one of those innovations that won't have a huge impact on the game itself. But if it means kids can identify their favourite player a bit more easily at the ground, then I'm all for it.”
The players, on their part, will be able to choose their number from 0 to 99, but it is expected that they will pick their existing (ODI) numbers.
