Melbourne, Dec 27: The Indian cricket team is wearing black armbands on the second day of the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as a mark of respect to the late former Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed the gesture on its official X account, stating, "The Indian Cricket Team is wearing black armbands as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh who passed away on Thursday."
Dr. Singh, who served as India’s 13th Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, passed away on Thursday night at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi. He had been admitted after a sudden loss of consciousness. Despite efforts to revive him, Singh was declared dead at 9:51 PM. His funeral will take place with full state honours on Friday.
Dr. Singh's contributions to India's economy, particularly as the Finance Minister during the early 1990s when he played a pivotal role in liberalizing the economy, are widely remembered. He also held significant positions, including Chief Economic Advisor, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, and head of the Planning Commission.
On the field, India made a strong comeback on day one of the test match, picking up four wickets in the final session to leave Australia at 311/6 after 86 overs. Australia’s top-order contributed solid knocks, with Usman Khawaja (57), Marnus Labuschagne (72), and Steve Smith (68*) leading the charge. Debutant opener Sam Konstas impressed with 60 runs off 65 balls. Jasprit Bumrah was the standout bowler for India with 3 wickets for 75 runs.
As the Indian team continues to play in tribute to their former leader, the mourning period for Dr. Singh's passing will extend across the country.
