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Caps are an integral part of a cricket uniform as the team walks in to play the match. Cricket players wear caps almost every time they enter a field as it is a matter of pride to wear the country cap – the baggy green for the Australians and the blue one for the Indians as so on.
Caps have multiple beneficial purposes as well which you will find out after reading this article.
Yes, cricket players usually wear caps while practicing in the nets, on the outfield or during a match. It is a custom to wear a cap, and it has several benefits, like protecting the eyes from light and giving you cool shade during hot matches. In hot conditions, especially in the subcontinent, it is recommended to wear a cap while playing cricket.
Do Cricketers Have to Wear Caps?
Is it compulsory for cricket players to wear caps? is a question that makes everyone wonder. Wear caps is more like a tradition for cricket players rather than a rule—a batsman wearing a helmet while batting is compulsory in most places and is followed strictly. However, there are no mandatory rules for wearing caps.
What are the Benefits of Wearing a Cap?
Wearing a cap has plenty of benefits for cricket players and here is a list of reasons for the benefits a cap provides you.
Protection from Sunlight
On sunny days when players play matches with the heat directly coming at them, it gets difficult to focus on performing freely. Wearing a cap protects your eyes by blocking the light from entering your eyes and hurting you.
Protection from Floodlights
If you are playing under floodlights at night, caps may keep out glare from the eyes and allow you to focus on the game, and help with the quality of your performance.
Tradition
It is a custom for cricketers to wear caps more than a rule. International cricket sides are often presented with a cap ceremonially, ‘receiving the first cap’ before the player makes their debut in the international arena. A cap is numbered according to how many players have represented that side before them and the debutant receives the latest number on the cap as he makes his way to represent the country. A tradition that has been followed for several years.
Keeps Hair Out of Sight
The cap may help the cricket player to keep long hair out of sight while they are fielding on the ground. Long hair can always be a headache or distraction while you are fielding, especially under lights or on a sunny day. The cap keeps your hair in one place and keeps it out of your sight as you aim to focus on the game.
Avoiding Sunburn
One of the major advantages of wearing a cap is that it helps to avoid sunburn if the player has a bald head. Sunburns can be very damaging and caps do just the right thing by protecting the head from the scorching heat. If the player has a bald spot, the cap covers that too.
Why do Cricket Players Wear Two Caps?
During a match, every viewer must have noticed a player wearing more than one cap on their head, Eoin Morgan is a good example of this, during an IPL game. This is because of a 2020 COVID-19-related rule which is put in place for the players. As the players are living in the same biosecure bubble, it is allowed for them to hold on to each other’s stuff.
However, they don’t hand out caps to umpires but may wear 2 or 3 caps themselves. They are not allowed to hand out items to umpires before bowling and hence players wear 2 caps or more to take care of each other’s belongings.
Conclusion
To summarise, a cricket cap is a useful piece of clothing of long tradition in the field of cricket and has been valued the most. A cap not only protects you on several occasions but also is a mark of who you are and what you represent. This tradition has been followed for ages and will be continued as the years go by. It is a part of being a cricketer.
