New Delhi, 12 October (H.S.): Australia’s men’s cricket team will wear a specially designed green-and-gold kit for the historic 150th Anniversary Test against England in March next year. Cricket Australia unveiled the commemorative outfit on Monday, developed in collaboration with sportswear manufacturer ASICS. The day-night Test is scheduled to begin on March 11 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

The special jersey was unveiled with 150 days remaining until the historic Test. It introduces several changes to Australia’s traditional Test attire. The gold wattle-inspired detailing featured on earlier jerseys has been replaced with golden stripes, while a green stripe has also been incorporated into the shirt’s design.

Gold stripes will feature on the collar and along the edges of the shirt and trousers, while the buttons will also be gold-coloured. The sleeves will carry a special logo commemorating the anniversary Test, alongside the ASICS logo.

In a statement, Cricket Australia said gold symbolised the heritage, achievements and enduring excellence of Test cricket. The designers aimed to reflect the prestige and significance of the historic occasion while preserving the traditional identity of Australia’s iconic Test uniform.

Cricket Australia Chief Commercial Officer Ed Sanders said, “We reserve special kits for our teams for only the most significant occasions. We thank ASICS for creating an outfit that incorporates gold to honour 150 years of Test cricket.”

Indigenous artist’s work to feature on shoulders

The rest of Australia’s current Test uniform will remain unchanged. The shoulders will continue to feature artwork by renowned Indigenous artist Aunty Fiona Clarke.

Titled ‘Land and Sea’, the artwork incorporates the motif of ‘Walkabout Wickets’. It forms part of a tribute to the Aboriginal XI, Australia’s first overseas touring cricket team, which travelled to England in 1868. The design honours the pioneering team’s historic contribution to Australian cricket.

All public tickets for first three days sold out

The 150th Anniversary Test will be played as a day-night match using the pink ball. According to Cricket Australia, all publicly available tickets for the first three days of the match have been sold out.

Another notable feature of the fixture is the return of home Test cricket to Australia in March. The country last hosted Test matches during that month in March 1979, when Pakistan played a two-Test series in Australia.

Australia faces a packed Test schedule

The anniversary fixture is expected to be one of the highlights of Australia’s home cricket season. The team, led by Pat Cummins, faces a demanding schedule, with as many as 21 Test matches potentially lined up during a 12-month cycle that began in August.

Australia are currently playing the opening match of a three-Test series against South Africa. They will subsequently host New Zealand for a four-Test series before travelling to India for a five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. The team will then return home for the anniversary Test at the MCG.

Australia could also face the prospect of competing in the World Test Championship final in England before taking on England in a five-Test Ashes series.

With a historic occasion, a specially designed commemorative kit and strong public interest, the anniversary Test is shaping up to be a landmark event in the history of Australian cricket.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar