India vs Australia : Australia to sport Indigenous shirt in T20 series

India vs Australia : Australia to sport Indigenous shirt in T20 series

Mitchell Starc flaunts the indigenous shirt

Mitchell Starc flaunts the indigenous shirt
Mitchell Starc flaunts the indigenous shirt

Cricket Australia unveiled indigenous shirt the Aussies will be sporting during the T20 series against India. The kit comes as a part of CA’s recent efforts to better recognise and encourage the involvement of Indigenous Australians in cricket. Australia’s journey in cricket kicked off in 1868.

A team of Indigenous Australians undertook a ship journey to the United Kingdom and played 47 games at venues like the Lord’s. Ever since Australia‘s first Test match in 1877, only four indigenous men and two indigenous women have represented the nation on a cricket field.

The shirt features Aunty Fiona Clarke‘s artwork Walkabout Wickets, which was unveiled in 2016. The artwork first featured on the collars of the Australian Test shirts during last year’s Ashes.

Exciting to have our first Indigenous jersey

Australia men's indigenous kit
Australia men team’s indigenous kit

The campaign kicked off with the women’s side who first donned an indigenous shirt in a match against England earlier this year. Courtney Hagen, CA’s Indigenous Engagement Specialist, shares that the shirt was about welcoming current and future generations of Indigenous Australians to cricket.

“This is a great opportunity for cricket to continue sharing stories about the rich contribution First Nations people have made in the sport, starting with the 1868 Cricket Team as an incredible backbone of all-time sporting history to share and celebrate across the country and globe,” cricket.com.au quoted Hagen.

Aussie quick Mitchell Starc is excited to don the indigenous kit and follow the footsteps of the women’s side in the campaign. He adds that cricket knows no bounds or races and is all about the passion for the sport.

“The women’s team have worn a similar artwork to our one, the Test team have worn the logo on our collars a few times and the WBBL teams have all got it on their guernseys this year so it’s really exciting to have the chance as a men’s team to wear our first Indigenous jersey,” he said.

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