Not too often do we see a national team have a sporting gear that is a symbol of national pride. One of these rare cases can be seen in Australian cricket, wherein the players chosen to play international test cricket are honored with a special cap on debut. This is called the baggy green cap.
The baggy green cap has been a feature of Australian cricket for over five decades. However, it wasn’t until the 1990s, when former Australian captain Steve Waugh infused a sense of pride in this cap. The baggy green refers to the cap that Australian cricket players wear during test matches. For a believer of traditions, he felt that the donning of the baggy green must be the highest accolade and honor and Australian test cricketer can get. Many players before Waugh had preserved their baggy green cap years after they retired.
Once in a blue moon does an Australian test cricket player decide to replace their baggy green cap with another form of headgear. Over the years, the color of the baggy green fades, symbolising the seniority of the player. Mark Taylor is also credited for starting a ritual wherein each member of the playing eleven wears the baggy green cap in the first session of a test match as a sign of solidarity.
Apart from its baggy outlook, a common identification mark on the captain in the Australian Coat of Arms. This Coat of Arms depicts a shield containing the Southern Cross. On the fourth sides of shield are illustrations of a sailing ship, a golden fleece, a garb of wheat, and a pick axe & shovel. A kangaroo and an emu are placed on either side of the shield. A rising sun can be appreciated above the shield and below the shield is the word ‘Australia’.
Kookaburra Sports manufactures the baggy green caps and are licensed by Cricket Australia. Furthermore, they can never be purchased except for an auction. The starting price of a baggy green cap in an auction is usually over $10,000 Australian Dollars. In 2020, late great Shane Warne’s baggy green cap was bought by Commonwealth Bank at a mind-boggling rate of $10,07,500 Australian dollars.
As of April 2025, 471 Australian players have had the honor of wearing the baggy green cap.
