The Indian cricket team officially unveiled its new jersey for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on Monday. The introduction of the kit featured some of India’s top cricketers, including skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh, who posed in the vibrant new attire.
However, more than the jersey itself, what grabbed everyone’s attention was whether the name of the host country, “Pakistan,” was printed on it. Indian media had previously claimed that India’s kit for the Champions Trophy would not feature the host nation’s name, sparking widespread speculation.
A recent controversy emerged over the placement of the ICC-approved Champions Trophy logo on India’s jersey. According to ICC regulations, all participating teams must display the official tournament logo, which includes the name of the host country. Despite this rule, reports from Indian media suggested that India might omit Pakistan’s name from their kit.
Clearing up the speculation, the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) later confirmed that the Indian team would follow ICC guidelines, ensuring that the host country’s name would indeed be present on the jersey.
On Monday, the ICC shared images of Indian cricketers receiving ICC awards and Team of the Year caps ahead of the Champions Trophy 2025. These pictures confirmed that the players’ jerseys featured the official tournament logo, including the host nation’s name, “Pakistan.” This marks a rare instance in recent years where India’s jersey has displayed Pakistan’s name.
A similar controversy had arisen during the 2023 Asia Cup, which Pakistan hosted. At that time, India objected to the inclusion of the host country’s name on the official tournament logo, leading the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) to approve a modified version of the logo that did not mention Pakistan.
