Indian Cricket Team Honors Manmohan Singh with Black Armbands at MCG
The Indian cricket team is wearing black armbands on day two of the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to honor the memory of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“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,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on its X account on Friday morning.
Singh, who served as India’s 13th Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, passed away on Thursday night in New Delhi after being admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) following a sudden loss of consciousness. He was 92. The AIIMS bulletin confirmed that Singh was being treated for age-related medical conditions and was declared dead after all efforts to revive him failed. His cremation will take place with full state honors on Friday.
Prior to his tenure as Prime Minister, Singh held key positions including Chief Economic Advisor, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, and head of the Planning Commission. His most significant contribution came in 1991 when, as Finance Minister, he spearheaded major economic reforms that liberalized India’s economy, setting the foundation for the nation’s growth in the years that followed.
On the field, India made a strong fightback on day one of the match by picking up four crucial wickets in the final session, leaving Australia at 311/6 in 86 overs. Australia’s top four batsmen, including debutant Sam Konstas, who scored an impressive 60 off 65 balls, all made fifties, with Usman Khawaja (57), Marnus Labuschagne (72), and Steve Smith (68 not out) contributing valuable runs. This marked the first instance since the Rawalpindi Test of 2022 that Australia’s top four batsmen all scored fifty or more in a Test match.
India’s fast-bowling spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah, stood out with figures of 3-75, keeping the Australian batters in check.
