Rohit Sharma‘s iconic number 45 has become synonymous with the India captain’s identity on the cricket field. During an appearance on the gaming reality show Family Full House with Rohit Sharma on SonyLIV, the Hitman recounted the fascinating story of how this particular jersey number came to define his international career. Actor Rahul Lohani posed a question to Rohit about the significance behind his instantly recognisable number, prompting the cricketer to explain the journey that led to this defining choice.
When Rohit first began his cricket journey, players were required to select their own jersey numbers. Most single-digit options had already been claimed by other cricketers, leaving him with limited choices. Numbers 5, 8 and 9 were among those already taken, forcing Rohit to look beyond the single digits he initially preferred. The only number available to him at that stage was 19, which he found appealing and subsequently wore during his Under-19 cricket career.
“Iska bada simple sa logic tha, Maine jab pehli baar jersey mein cricket khela, kyunki aap jersey pehente ho toh aapko number choose karna padta hai. Toh logon ne sab number choose kar liye tha, number 5, number 8, number 9. Mujhe single-digit number chahiye tha, lekin sab logon ne choose kar liya tha (The logic was pretty simple. When I got my first jersey and I had to choose a number, I was a little late. Numbers 5, 8, and 9 were already taken. I wanted a single-digit number but they were all picked up by others),” Rohit said.
“Toh mere paas bacha number 19. Kyunki woh 19 number mujhe bas aise hi achha lag raha tha. Toh maine 19 number daal ke maine khela bhi, Under-19 mein (So I was left with the number 19. Because I just liked that number 19. So I played Under-19 cricket wearing that number),” he added.
Why could Rohit not use number 19 for India?
When Rohit progressed to the India team, he discovered that number 19 was unavailable for him. Rahul Dravid, who was serving as captain at that time, held the number and was actively using it in international cricket. This development meant Rohit had to find an alternative jersey number for his international debut and subsequent career.
“Phir uske baad, I think mere ek saath mein khel rahe the uss time pe abhi mujhe naam yaad nahi aa raha hai. Unhone mujhe bola, ‘Arey Bhai, ye Under-19 theek hai, India team mein khelega na tu, ye number nahi le sakta hai.’ Toh main bola, ‘Kyun?’ yaar, Toh bole, ‘Rahul Dravid ka number hai,’ aur Rahul Dravid uss time pe 19 number se khel rahe the, aur woh captain the (After that there was one player playing with me who I don’t remember now. He told me that in Under-19, I can play wearing jersey No. 19 but can’t do that in senior team. When I asked him the reason, he said that Rahul Dravid is wearing it in international cricket and he was the captain at that point),” Rohit said.
Facing this unexpected situation, Rohit immediately reached out to his mother for guidance. That evening, after returning to his hotel, he telephoned her and explained his predicament regarding the unavailable number 19. He asked his mother to suggest a suitable jersey number that he could wear while representing India on the international stage.
“Toh tabhi uske baad, turant shaam ko main hotel pahunchkar maine mummy ko phone kiya. Mummy ko bola, ‘Mummy, ye number se nahi khel sakta hoon. Abhi aap mujhe batao ki kaun se number se khelna chahiye.’ Toh mummy ne mere liye ye number pick kiya ’45’. Mummy ne mujhe bola, ‘9 number se khel, tere liye achha rahega.’ 9 number chala gaya tha, 27 number se khelna nahi tha mujhe (After hearing this, I reached my hotel and called my mother. I informed her that I can’t play wearing number 19 and asked her to suggest which number I should wear. She picked 45 for me. She said 9 but it was gone. I didn’t want to play with 27),” Rohit said.
“Toh mujhe 4 aur 5 aaju-baaju mein bahut achha lag raha tha. Toh mera bhi mummy ko ye feedback tha ki 4-5 jyada acha lag raha hai toh, ‘Mummy, ye number leta hoon main. Ye 9 bhi hota hai aur number jersey pe bhi 4-5 bohot achha lagega,’ (I liked the fact that 4 and 5 were side by side. So my mother also gave the same feedback. I told her that I am taking that number. They add up to 9 and will look good on the jersey)” he added.
His mother’s selection of 45 proved to be a pivotal moment in Rohit’s career trajectory. Since making his international debut in 2007, Rohit has consistently worn this number, transforming it into one of the most recognisable jerseys in modern Indian cricket. The number now carries deep personal significance, tracing back to those early days of his cricketing journey and his mother’s thoughtful suggestion during a crucial juncture in his career.
