Why Is India Cricket Team Wearing A Different Jersey At Asian Games 2026?

Indian cricket fans have been left wondering why the players are wearing a noticeably different jersey at the Asian Games 2026 instead of the familiar dark-blue Team India kit. The sky-blue jersey has a different design, branding and overall appearance from the outfit used by India in regular international cricket.

Why can't India simply wear its normal jersey?

Unlike regular international cricket, the Asian Games are a multi-sport event conducted within the broader Olympic sporting framework. Consequently, Indian cricketers wear the official kit provided for the Indian contingent rather than the BCCI’s regular cricket jersey.

The official Asian Games apparel is supplied by JSW Inspire, which is the Indian Olympic Association’s official sports performance and lifestyle partner for the 2026 Asian Games. The partnership covers the wider Indian contingent, meaning the cricket teams use the same event-specific apparel arrangement rather than the BCCI’s separate commercial kit setup. This also explains why the BCCI crest and regular cricket sponsorship branding are absent from the shirt.

No, the Asian Games jersey does not signal the end of Adidas’ association with Indian cricket. Adidas remains the BCCI’s official kit partner through March 2028, while Apollo Tyres is the BCCI’s lead sponsor for the national teams.

The Indian women's team wore their regular kits for their Asia Cup win and will return to the same after the Asian Games. The same is the case for Men. Shreyas Iyer and Co will don the Adidas jersey for the game against Japan, before switching to the JSW Inspire kit for the Asian Games. Concurrently, the IND vs WI ODI series will see the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli wear the BCCI jersey.