Black armbands, a minute of silence: India and England cricketers remember Air India crash victims in Ahmedabad
Both Team India and England wore black armbands during Day 1 of the opening Test in Leeds. They also observed a minute's silence before the start of play.
Cricket took a backseat for a moment on Friday as India and England paid their respects to the victims of the tragic Ahmedabad air disaster before the opening Test at Headingley. Both teams observed a minute’s silence and wore black armbands to honour those who lost their lives.
The catastrophe, which occurred on June 12, claimed the lives of 274 people after a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad. Among the deceased were 181 Indian nationals and 53 British citizens, making the upcoming tribute at Leeds especially poignant for both sides.
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Ahead of the five-Test series opener, India vice-captain Rishabh Pant expressed the deep grief shared by the team and vowed to bring some joy back to the country through their performance on the field.
“What happened with the aircraft, the whole of India was saddened by it,” Pant said.
“The only thing from our side, we’re going to be sticking to how we can make India happy again,” he added.
“The emotion is going to be high always because of what happened in the crash, but at the same time, we are going to put our best foot forward for the country. How we can make them happy is an added responsibility.”
The disaster sent shockwaves across both nations, and the global cricketing community also offered its condolences. Moments after takeoff, the aircraft lost stability and crashed into a hostel block of the B.J. Medical College in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar area. Only one person is believed to have survived the crash.
Both sides begin WTC cycle
The Test series will be significant for both teams, as it kicks off their respective World Test Championship cycles. For Team India, the series is particularly significant as the side enters a transitional era in Test cricket, with Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin all retiring from the format.
Shubman Gill will lead the Indian team for the first time in the red-ball format, with wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant being named as his deputy.
