Australia Test vice-captain Steve Smith’s battered and tattered Baggy Green cap has become a topic of hot discussion on social media. Standing in as captain for Australia’s huge win in the second Test of the series against the West Indies, Smith was pictured wearing his rather tattered baggy green.

Having 88 Tests under his belt since 2010, Smith’s baggy green is a little worse for wear.

The cap has seen better days and the fabric has now worn off the brim and hours and days of toil in the field for his country have taken its toll on the iconic cricket cap, with some asking if Smith should get a replacement.

The baggy green is arguably the cricket world’s most iconic symbol and the reverence for the cap and its meaning to the Australian team and cricket community has only grown over the years.

Many cricket fans have asked him the reason why he is still wearing the tattered Baggy Green cap and some attributed it to the pride and gratefulness many former cricketers from Australia have felt in wearing the Baggy green until it fell apart, like Ricky Ponting or Steve Waugh.

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The players privately see an aging cap as a badge of honor and the more worn the cap, the more senior the player.

However, the right-handed batter has revealed the real reason behind the bad condition of his cap and blamed the rats for it.

“I left it overnight in the change room in Galle like I do everywhere and turned up the next day and rats had got to it I think. I’m going to try and get it fixed this week, it’s falling apart,” he told the Australian.

Aussie cricketers used to be awarded a new cap for each tour and there remains no set rule for players not to get a replacement from Cricket Australia.