Hyderabad: Trophies and medals are the precious symbols of glory, but only a select few traditions include the awards of jackets alongside the coveted trophy. Among team sports, cricket stands out as the only team game where its global governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), honours its Champions Trophy winners with a jacket.
Since the start of the ICC Champions Trophy in 2000, the winning captain and his team have been awarded the white jacket, adding a personal and memorable touch to the team's triumph and measure of the greatness and determination of players. Over the years, cricketing greats such as Ricky Ponting, Sarfaraz Ahmed, and MS Dhoni have donned this jacket, cementing their place in cricket history.
The iconic white jacket is back! #ChampionsTrophy pic.twitter.com/qcPLDU93PJ
— ICC (@ICC) January 14, 2025
According to ICC, the white jacket is a "badge of honour" that sums up the measure of greatness and determination of players. "Every match counts in the ICC’s most high stakes event format, where teams not only vie for the Champions Trophy but also for the coveted white jackets—symbolizing the ultimate measure of greatness and determination," an ICC statement said.
"The white jacket is a badge of honour adorned by champions. The jackets embody the relentless pursuit of tactical brilliance and a legacy that inspires generations. Winning the white jacket signifies the journey of putting it all on the line for victory."
Awarding jackets isn't a very common phenomenon feature in sports celebrations, but cricket isn’t entirely alone. The tradition of awarding jackets is famously seen in golf, where the winner of the Masters Tournament is presented with the iconic green jacket by Augusta National Golf Club. The National Football League (NFL) awards gold jackets to its Hall of Fame inductees.
However, cricket remains a lone sport which witnesses its unique tradition of honouring championship wins. While sports like football, basketball, and hockey mainly focus on trophies and medals, cricket incorporates a special gesture of personalized attire for its tournament Champions.
