The ambiance was festive, Ravi Shastri’s booming baritone oozing pleasure and aura in equal measure, as a crowd of round 40,000 obtained a style of cricket diplomacy with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese following an intense opening session was a superb a part of. within the last check.
India look to win the sequence 3-1 and guarantee a spot within the last of the World Test Championship, even because the Australians look to revive the parity and harm the delight of the house staff. But he’s on the pitch.
Outside, Albanese and Modi took a lap of honor throughout the bottom to mark the event of 75 years of friendship between India and Australia.
A particular welcome and particular handshake!
The Honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modiji and the Honorable Prime Minister of Australia, Mr. Anthony Albanese meet #WorkforceIndia and Australia respectively. @narendramodi , @PMOIndia , #WorkforceIndia , #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/kFZsEO1H12
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 9, 2023
The solely disappointment was the multi-layered safety association as a result of presence of the heads of each international locations. This is the explanation why the large stadium was not even half full when Modi and Albanese took a spherical of the bottom in a cricket-themed automobile. However, he nonetheless acquired heat applause from these current on the venue.
BCCI President Roger Binny offered his portrait to Albanese whereas Secretary Jay Shah offered one to the Indian Prime Minister.
The two leaders then inaugurated the newly designed Hall of Fame room the place cricket and reminiscences of the previous are intrinsically intertwined.
There may have been no higher particular person than former head coach Shastri to serve him throughout his transient however fascinating date with cricket historical past.
The two captains – Rohit Sharma and Steve Smith – additionally had their second within the solar. They accompanied their respective prime ministers to the bottom and launched them to different gamers.
Albanese gave one other few seconds to Nathan Lyon, Australia’s finest performer on the tour, as Modi congratulated all of the Indian gamers for a robust handshake.
Standing alongside the Indian PM to sing the nationwide anthem is a narrative Rohit would love to inform his grandchildren sometime.
India took a 2–1 lead within the series-deciding Fourth Test.
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
