IND vs AUS: Indian Team Wears Black Armbands In Melbourne To Honor Late Former PM Manmohan Singh

The Indian cricket team paid their respects to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the second day of the fourth Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The players wore black armbands on December 27 as a tribute to Singh, who passed away at the age of 92.

Manmohan Singh’s Demise

Singh had been undergoing treatments for old age-related health conditions when he died suddenly Thursday night, when his condition deteriorated unexpectedly. In a statement from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, AIIMS stated that he had become unconscious suddenly and was taken to the hospital. The hospital immediately put Singh into the resuscitation process but could not revive him and declared death at 9:51 p.m.

Singh is a technocrat with a strong reputation for personal integrity. Singh served as the Prime Minister of India for ten years from 2004 to 2014. He was appointed by Sonia Gandhi, the widow of Rajiv Gandhi, to head the country after a spell of political turmoil. Singh is one of India’s longest-serving and most respected leaders.

India’s Performance At MCG

On the field, India performed somewhat disappointingly on the second day of the Test match. Having started the day requiring only four wickets to complete the first innings of Australia, India’s bowlers except for Jasprit Bumrah had little to offer. The Australian Steve Smith and Pat Cummins comfortably added up runs early into the day, and further adding to India’s misery were its fielding lapses.

The Indian team had previously fought back on day one, taking four wickets late in the evening to reduce Australia to 311 for six. However, day two saw a series of mistakes and missed opportunities as India failed to capitalize on their position.

The on-field tensions flared before a massive Boxing Day crowd of 87,242 spectators. Virat Kohli was booed by the home crowd after an on-field altercation with debutant Sam Konstas. The young Australian cricketer, aggressive against India’s bowlers, made 60 from just 65 balls while showing resilience despite the early clash with Kohli.

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