The Indian players wore black armbands during the Boxing Day test match against Australia in Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday (December 27). It was a tribute to the former Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who passed away on Thursday night.
Dr. Manmohan Singh served as the PM from 2004-14, while also being the country’s finance minister from 1991-93. His death was announced by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, where he was admitted in the emergency ward around 8:30 PM on Thursday.
“The Indian team is wearing black arm bands as a mark of respect in the memory of former PM Dr Manmohan Singh, who passed away,” the BCCI said in a statement.
Notably, PM Manmohan Singh invited his Pakistan counterpart Yousuf Gilani for attending the semifinal of the 2011 World Cup game between India and Pakistan in Mohali. Gilani accepted the invitation, as they were sat alongside in the contest, which saw India winning by 29 runs.
The move bore fruit as Pakistan visited India for a bilateral series in December 2012- January 2013. The two-match T20I series was drawn 1-1 and the Men in Green secured a 2-1 ODI series victory. However, since then, there has been no bilateral series as both teams clash in the Asia Cups and World Cups.
Apart from Manmohan Singh, the Indian team has worn black arm bands to honor the legacy of former cricketers, revered sportspersons and politicians as well.
Australia gain edge on Day 2 of Boxing Day Test
The Australian team started Day 2 on 311/6, with Steve Smith and captain Pat Cummins at the crease. Both batters were terrific to steer the side in a comfortable fashion in the first session. Their 112-run stand was broken by Ravindra Jadeja, when he dismissed Cummins for 49.
Smith went on to slam 140 off 197, before Akash Deep dismissed him. The hosts got contributions from their tailenders as they posted a strong total of 474 on the board. Jasprit Bumrah was the standout bowler for the side with four wickets.
Then, India lost captain Rohit Sharma (3) early, while KL Rahul (24) couldn’t convert his start into a big knock. The pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli looked solid with their approach as they were well on course to help India end the day on a high. However, Jaiswal (82) was involved in a confusion with Kohli and was run-out, which opened the floodgates for Australia.
Kohli (36) and Akash Deep (0) followed him as India ended Day 2 on 164/5. Rishabh Pant (6*) and Ravindra Jadeja (4*) will have to do the heavy lifting for India, as they are still trailing by 310 runs.
