Science behind Dhoni's pants

The 2015 kits are retro but only in look. There is some very impressive tech that has gone into them.
Which memories linger longest with you from the 1992 World Cup?
Jonty Rhodes' run out of Inzamam-ul-Haq? Eddo Brandes' four wickets to skittle England? Or South Africa's revised target of 22 off one ball and Pakistan fighting like "cornered tigers" for Imran Khan's finest hour? For all the memorable moments of the 1992 tournament, it will always have a place in history as the first World Cup played in coloured clothing.
From Pakistan's Kermit green to the Australian gold of the Aussie strip (never call it canary yellow), the powder blue of England, the royal blue of Sri Lanka, the burgundy of West Indies, the bright red of Zimbabwe, the leaf green of South Africa, the grey of New Zealand and the dark blue of India; it was a rainbow of colours when the nine captains lined up outside Sydney Opera House in February of that year.
Two decades later those kits are now deemed retro and are back by popular demand. The shirts will be a fashion statement around Auckland, Sydney and Melbourne over the coming weeks. Back in '92 they inspired cricket fans to finally show their colours and it sparked the sale of replica gear around the world. Coloured cricket kit is now a big business for international teams and Twenty20 franchises.
It is part of the reason why World Cups are far more colourful than in years gone by. Remember those memorable scenes from Lords in 1983 after India's World Cup win? Even allowing for the rather grainy television pictures, the teams are in grass stained whites and the crowd is a sea of greys and beige. During the 2015 tournament, the commentators will frequently describe a sea of colour in the stands. When India play Pakistan in Adelaide, in a match that sold out in 12 minutes, the colour will add to the fervour.
The 2015 kits are a far cry from those 100% polyester numbers in 1992. They now have laser-cup ventilation, base layer technology and central thermoregulation. Yes, really. Sri Lanka's blue number goes further with "enhanced stretchability and moisture releasing properties". All necessary, say the designers, for the differences between the climates of Dunedin and Perth.
India, though, surely win the prize for kit innovation. Their blue fabric is recycled with each trouser and jersey combination containing 33 plastic bottles. So you can consume all the soda you want during the tournament, knowing you are making a contribution to Dhoni's next pants. Virat Kohli complimented the designers on the slim fit. "If you're fit, you should have clothes that make you look good as well," he said.
All good for the players, but supporters might want to go up a size if their slimline days are behind them. Fans will welcome the moisture-releasing properties I'm sure -it can be a long hot day watching a 50-over international, especially if you spill your drink.
Pakistan had the glitziest of kit launches with a full-on Milan style cat walk, laser beams and confetti. They have kept theirs as close to 1992 as possible with exactly the same shade of green, hoping that Misbah-ul-Haq can emulate Imran Khan by lifting the trophy at the MCG in March. The green will give them the same zest for success in Australia, according to Shahid Afridi.
Science and kit design may provide a good talking point but a shirt conjures fond memories only when a team has success wearing it. Exit early, and nobody cares what the jersey looked like. Who remembers what India wore in the Caribbean in 2007? The longer a team survives in a World Cup, the more memorable the kit becomes.
Alison Mitchell hosts Stumped, a new weekly radio programme from the BBC World Service