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Check out Australia's special new jersey for India T20s

December 04, 2020 15:22 IST

IMAGE: Australia's players during the barefoot ceremony before game one of the Twenty20 International series against India at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Friday. Photograph: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
 

The Australian team came out wearing a new jersey in the opening T20 International against India, in Canberra, on Friday, to showcase their country's indigenous heritage.

'Our Aussie men will celebrate our First Nations people by wearing their incredible Indigenous playing shirt for the entirety of the #AUSvIND Dettol T20 series!' Cricket Australia tweeted.

The design, a collaboration between manufacturer ASICS and two Indigenous women, Aunty Fiona Clarke and Courtney Hagen, is an ode to the ancestors and past, present and future aboriginal cricketers and showcase Australia's indigenous heritage.

Clarke, a Kirrae Whurrong woman, is a direct descendent of legendary cricketer 'Mosquito' Couzens (known as Grongarrong), one of the Aboriginal players who toured England in 1868 as part of the first sporting team from Australia to play abroad.

Australia's women's side first wore an Indigenous shirt of their own in a match against England earlier this year to address issues of racism in their sport.

The Australian team also came together ahead of the match to form a barefoot circle in a powerful stance against racism, while also acknowledging the culture of indigenous people.

The Barefoot Circle is a statement taken up by Australian cricket more broadly to connect with Aboriginal culture and the land on which matches are played.

'The barefoot circle is a cricket centric way for players and teams to take a moment prior to matches to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land, connect to each other as opponents and pay respect to the country,' said Cricket Australia.

'This is done barefoot as a way to connect to country, but also a moment to reflect that we are all common ground, we are all human beings and we need to stand strong with each other, for each other.

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