Rishabh Pant Jersey Number: Why He Wears No. 17 for India & IPL (2026 Complete Guide)

Rishabh Pant is one of the most exciting names in modern Indian cricket. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter from Haridwar, Uttarakhand, built his reputation on fearless strokeplay, a never-say-die attitude, and the kind of match-turning innings that keep fans glued to their screens. From smashing centuries in England and Australia to leading a franchise side as captain, Pant has become a fixture in Indian cricket conversations.

With that fame comes curiosity. Fans searching for “Rishabh Pant jersey number” usually want a quick, reliable answer — and often they’re also looking to buy his jersey, understand his stats, or simply settle a debate with a friend. This guide covers everything: his number across formats, the story (or lack of one) behind it, his career highlights while wearing it, and how it compares to other Indian stars.

Jersey numbers matter more than they might seem to at first glance. In cricket, a number becomes tied to a player’s identity — think Sachin Tendulkar’s association with certain innings, or MS Dhoni’s number 7. For younger fans, buying a jersey with a favourite player’s number is often their first real connection to the sport. Pant’s number 17 has become exactly that kind of marker for a new generation of Indian cricket fans.

Quick Answer Box 

Question	Answer
Rishabh Pant Jersey Number	17
Team India Jersey Number	17
IPL Team	Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
Former IPL Team	Delhi Capitals (DC)
Playing Role	Wicketkeeper-Batter
Jersey Number Since	Early International Career

What Is Rishabh Pant’s Jersey Number

Rishabh Pant wears jersey number 17, and this holds true across every format and team he plays for.

• Team India jersey: Number 17, worn on the blue jersey in Tests (where names and numbers were introduced only in the last few years), ODIs, and T20Is.
• IPL jersey: Number 17, whether he was turning out for Delhi Capitals earlier in his career or wearing the Lucknow Super Giants colours since 2025.

Does he use the same number in every format?

Yes. Unlike some players who switch numbers between franchise cricket and international duty, Pant has kept 17 consistent throughout his career. This consistency is actually part of why the number is so recognisable — fans don’t have to remember a different digit for Tests versus T20Is versus the IPL.

Why Does Rishabh Pant Wear Jersey Number 17?

Is there an official reason?

Pant has not gone on record with a detailed, definitive explanation of why he picked 17 specifically. Unlike some cricketers who have shared stories about a number being tied to a birth date, a mentor’s number, or a family tradition, Pant’s choice of 17 has largely stayed a personal matter that he hasn’t unpacked publicly in detail.

Fan theories behind No. 17

In the absence of an official statement, fans and cricket writers have floated a few theories over the years — ranging from it simply being available when he needed a number, to it being an arbitrary pick early in his domestic career that he later decided to stick with once it became associated with his early breakthrough performances. None of these theories carry official confirmation, so they’re best treated as speculation rather than fact.

Personal preference vs lucky number

Many cricketers pick numbers based on superstition or sentiment rather than any deep logic, and it’s entirely possible Pant’s choice falls into this bucket. What’s clear is that once a number starts delivering good performances, players rarely feel the need to change it — and that appears to be the case here.

Has Pant ever explained the number publicly?

As of now, there’s no widely reported interview or press conference where Pant has broken down the meaning behind 17 in detail. If and when he does address it directly, this section can be updated with his own words.

Rishabh Pant Jersey Number Across Different Formats

Table: Rishabh Pant Jersey Number by Competition 

Tournament	Jersey Number
Test Cricket	17
ODI Cricket	17
T20I Cricket	17
IPL	17

The takeaway is simple: no matter which format you catch him playing, the number on his back will read 17.

Also read this:

Tim David wife

Rinku Singh height in feet

1 to 100 jersey number in cricket australia

Rishabh Pant IPL Jersey Number

Lucknow Super Giants jersey

Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history when Lucknow Super Giants secured his services for ₹27 crore at the 2025 mega auction. He was handed the captaincy soon after and was presented with his LSG jersey — number 17, with the word “Captain” printed underneath his name — at a franchise event in January 2025. LSG retained him at the same price ahead of the 2026 season, continuing his run as both player and captain for the franchise.

Earlier Delhi Capitals jersey

Before his move to Lucknow, Pant spent close to a decade with Delhi Capitals, the franchise that picked him in 2016 and gave him his IPL debut. He wore number 17 throughout his Delhi tenure as well, which is part of why the number feels so permanently linked to his identity — it survived a franchise change without any alteration.

Captaincy years

Pant first took over Delhi’s captaincy in 2021 after an injury to Shreyas Iyer, and he continued in that role the following season. He also led India in a T20I series against South Africa in 2022. After a serious car accident in December 2022 kept him out of the game for over a year, Pant made his return during the 2024 IPL season, and Lucknow’s decision to name him captain for 2025 marked a fresh leadership chapter following that comeback.

Jersey design changes

While franchise jersey designs are updated every season with new sponsor logos and kit patterns, Pant’s number itself has remained untouched through these visual refreshes — for both Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants.

Rishabh Pant Team India Jersey

Blue jersey

In India’s limited-overs and Test whites-with-names setup, Pant’s blue ODI and T20I jersey and his Test playing kit all display the number 17.

ICC tournaments

Pant has been part of major ICC campaigns wearing this number, including India’s title-winning run at the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup and India’s victorious 2025 ICC Champions Trophy campaign.

Bilateral series

Across bilateral tours — from tricky overseas Test tours to home white-ball series — the number 17 has remained a constant on Pant’s India jersey.

World Cup appearances

Beyond T20 World Cup success, Pant has also featured in India’s ODI World Cup squads, again wearing his familiar number.

History of Rishabh Pant’s Jersey Number

Domestic cricket

Pant’s cricketing journey began in India’s domestic circuit, playing for Delhi before his India call-up. His early breakout performances, including a memorable showing at the 2016 U-19 World Cup where he smashed a rapid fifty against Nepal and a century against Namibia, first put him on the national radar.

India U-19

That U-19 World Cup campaign is often cited as the moment Pant announced himself to Indian cricket fans, setting the stage for his rapid rise through the ranks.

International debut

Pant made his India debut across formats in 2017 and 2018, quickly establishing himself as a like-for-like heir to the wicketkeeper-batter role in the side.

Has he ever changed his jersey number?

There’s no record of Pant switching away from number 17 at any stage of his domestic, franchise, or international career. It has stayed his number of choice from early in his career right through to today.

Meaning of Jersey Number 17 in Cricket

Lucky number concept

Many athletes across sports treat a specific jersey number as a personal lucky charm, often carrying it over from junior cricket into the professional ranks. Whether or not Pant views 17 this way isn’t officially confirmed, but the pattern of sticking with a single number for years fits how many cricketers approach numbers they consider fortunate.

Superstitions among cricketers

Cricket has no shortage of players who are particular about their gear, batting order, or jersey number, often out of habit or superstition rather than any rulebook requirement. Pant’s long-term loyalty to 17 fits comfortably within this broader cricketing culture.

Why players rarely change jersey numbers

Once a number becomes associated with a player’s biggest moments — centuries, match-winning knocks, career milestones — changing it can feel like breaking continuity with those achievements. That’s likely part of why so few established players swap numbers mid-career, and Pant appears to be no exception.

Rishabh Pant Career Highlights Wearing Jersey No. 17

Test centuries

Pant has racked up eight Test centuries, becoming the first Indian wicketkeeper to score Test hundreds in both England and Australia — a rare double that highlights his ability to counter-attack in testing overseas conditions.

Gabba heroics

Among his most celebrated innings is his match-winning knock at the Gabba in Brisbane, which played a central role in one of India’s most memorable overseas Test series wins against Australia.

ICC tournaments

His contributions to India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph and the 2025 Champions Trophy win added major ICC silverware to his growing list of achievements.

IPL captaincy

Leading Lucknow Super Giants as the most expensive player in IPL auction history added a new dimension to his career, putting his leadership under the spotlight alongside his batting and glovework.

Major records

Pant also holds the record for being the fastest Indian wicketkeeper to reach 1,000 Test runs, along with a string of IPL milestones, including becoming the youngest player to reach 1,000 IPL runs and one of the youngest to score an IPL century.

Rishabh Pant Jersey Number vs Other Indian Cricketers

Table: Popular Indian Cricketers’ Jersey Numbers 

Player	Jersey Number
Virat Kohli	18
Rohit Sharma	45
Rishabh Pant	17
Hardik Pandya	33
Jasprit Bumrah	93
KL Rahul	1

Seeing Pant’s number alongside his more senior teammates shows how each player has carved out a distinct on-field identity, with jersey numbers becoming almost as recognisable as playing styles.

Rishabh Pant Stats While Wearing Jersey No. 17

Table: Career Snapshot 

Format	Matches	Runs	100s	50s
Test	49	3,476	8	15
ODI	31	871	0	5
T20I	76	1,209	0	3
IPL	125	3,553	2	19

Note: IPL and international figures are updated to the 2026 season and may change as Pant continues to play. Always check the latest scorecards for the most current numbers.

Jersey Number Timeline 

Year	Team	Jersey Number
U-19 Career	India U-19	17
2016	Delhi Capitals	17
2017	India Debut	17
2021	DC Captain	17
2025	Lucknow Super Giants	17
2026	Team India	17

Jersey Number Myth vs Fact 

Myth	Fact
Pant changes his jersey in IPL	He wears No. 17 in IPL as well.
No. 17 is officially his lucky number	Pant has never officially confirmed this.
Pant has used different jersey numbers	No official record of any change.
Only used for Team India	He wears No. 17 across international and franchise cricket.

Rishabh Pant Career Achievements While Wearing No. 17 

Achievement	Details
Test Centuries	8+
Overseas Test Hundreds	England & Australia
ICC Trophy	T20 World Cup Winner
Champions Trophy	Winner
IPL Captain	Delhi Capitals & LSG
Fastest Indian WK Milestone	1000 Test Runs

Most Popular Indian Cricket Jersey Numbers 

Player	Jersey Number	Reason (If Known)
MS Dhoni	7	Birth date
Virat Kohli	18	Father’s memory
Rohit Sharma	45	Personal choice
Rishabh Pant	17	Not officially revealed
Hardik Pandya	33	Personal preference
Jasprit Bumrah	93	Personal choice

Why Cricket Fans Love Jersey No. 17

• Consistent across all formats.
• Associated with fearless batting.
• Popular among young wicketkeeper fans.
• Frequently seen in stadium merchandise.
• One of the most recognizable Indian cricket jerseys.

Did Rishabh Pant Ever Change His Jersey Number?

Ek dedicated section add kar.

• Short answer: No.
• Since debut, Pant has consistently worn No. 17.
• No official record of any jersey number change.

What is Rishabh Pant’s jersey number?

Rishabh Pant wears jersey number 17 for Team India in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. He also wears No. 17 in the IPL while representing Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Pant has used the same jersey number throughout his professional cricket career.

Interesting Facts About Rishabh Pant’s Jersey Number

• The number remains identical across Tests, ODIs, T20Is, and the IPL — a rare case of complete consistency across formats.
• It’s become especially popular among younger cricket fans picking their first replica jersey.
• Pant’s jersey is frequently listed among the best-selling Indian cricket jerseys in online and retail stores.
• The number 17 is now recognised by cricket followers well beyond India, thanks to Pant’s performances in high-profile overseas series and ICC events.

Can Fans Buy Rishabh Pant Jersey Number 17?

Official Team India jerseys

Official BCCI-licensed India jerseys with Pant’s name and number 17 are available through authorised sports retailers and official team merchandise stores.

Official IPL jerseys

Lucknow Super Giants sell official replica jerseys featuring Pant’s name and number, available through the IPL’s official merchandise partners and the LSG team store.

Custom jersey options

Several sportswear retailers also offer customisable jerseys where fans can add Pant’s number and name to a India or LSG-style template, though these aren’t always officially licensed products.

Things to check before buying

• Look for official licensing tags or holograms to confirm authenticity.
• Check sizing charts carefully, since replica jersey fits can vary between manufacturers.
• Compare prices across official team stores versus third-party sellers to avoid overpaying for unlicensed merchandise.
• Confirm the seller’s return policy in case the fit or print quality isn’t as expected.

Conclusion

Rishabh Pant’s jersey number 17 has become more than just a number on the back of his shirt—it’s a symbol of his fearless approach and remarkable journey in international cricket. From representing Team India across all formats to leading his IPL franchise, Pant has consistently worn No. 17 throughout his career, making it instantly recognizable among cricket fans.

Although Pant has never publicly revealed the exact reason behind choosing jersey number 17, the number has been associated with many of his biggest achievements, including memorable Test centuries, ICC tournament victories, and match-winning performances around the world. Its consistency across both international and IPL cricket has helped strengthen his identity as one of India’s most exciting wicketkeeper-batters.

Whether you’re simply curious about Rishabh Pant’s jersey number or planning to buy his official jersey, one thing is certain—No. 17 will continue to be closely linked with Pant’s legacy for years to come. As his career progresses, fans can expect to see jersey number 17 feature in many more unforgettable moments on the cricket field.

Frequently Asked Questions