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The Indian cricket team sported black armbands during the 2nd day of its ongoing Test match against Australia in Melbourne on Friday in honour of former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away on Thursday.
Why Indian cricket team players are wearing black armbands on Day 2 of 4th India-Australia Test. (Picture Credit: Screengrab)
Indian men’s cricket team players are wearing black armbands during Day 2’s play of the ongoing Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday (December 27) in honour of former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who passed away on Thursday night.
“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.
Manmohan Singh served as India’s Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014. 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 in a critical condition on Thursday.
An AIIMS bulletin said “he (Singh) was treated for age related medical conditions and had sudden loss of consciousness at home” on December 26. “Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to medical emergency at AIIMS Delhi at 8.06 pm. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9.51 pm,” the bulletin said.
Century for Smith
Aussies kicked off the 2nd day’s play in Melbourne at a score of 311 for 6, and Aussie skipper Pat Cummins added 112 runs for the seventh wicket with Steve Smith. Smith, who is Australia’s fourth-leading run scorer in Test cricket, scored his 11th Test century against India and 34th overall in the morning session. He crossed the triple-digit mark with a boundary. The century on Friday was Smith’s second century in a row, and he now also holds the record for scoring the most centuries against India in Test cricket. Earlier he was tied with England’s Joe Root, who has 10 centuries in 30 Tests vs India.
Cummins also slammed 49 runs from 63 balls during his stay at the crease and hammered seven fours. He was sent back to the pavilion by Ravindra Jadeja on the first ball of the 105th over of Australia’s first innings.
