Why do Australian players wear black armbands against India in the Adelaide Pink-Ball Test?

The much-anticipated second Test between India and Australia began at a packed Adelaide Oval, with Indian skipper Rohit Sharma winning the toss and electing to bat first on Friday (December 6).

India entered the day-night Test match in Adelaide with a 1-0 lead in the ongoing five-match Test series against the Australians after a dominant 295-run victory in the opening Test in Perth.

In a moving gesture, the Australian cricket team took to the field wearing black armbands in honor of Phillip Hughes, marking the 10th anniversary of his tragic passing, and Ian Redpath, who died on December 1.

Australia remembers Phillip Hughes and Ian Redpath in Adelaide Test against India

Cricket Australia (CA) is paying tribute to the legacy of Phillip Hughes during the ongoing day-night Test match between India and the Australians and throughout the Sheffield Shield Trophy matches by flying flags at half-mast and asking the players to wear black armbands during all first-class matches. .

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Notably, on 25 November 2014, during a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Phillip Hughes was hit on the neck by a bouncer delivered by Sean Abbott. The ball hit an unprotected area, causing a dissection of the vertebral artery which caused a cerebral hemorrhage.

Hughes collapsed on the field and tragically died two days later on November 27, 2014, just before his 26th birthday. His tragic and untimely death had a profound impact on the world of cricket, leading to significant advances in safety, including the introduction of neck guards for helmets.

Hughes' number 63 jersey became a global symbol of tribute, as he was batting on that score when the incident happened and he was never able to return to the field. Tributes have poured in from around the world, with the hashtag #63NotOut in his memory.

Meanwhile, Ian Redpath was an Australian cricketer who played 66 Tests and five ODIs from 1964 to 1976, and he is also remembered for his contributions to the game during the ongoing Pink-Ball Test against India at the Adelaide Oval.

India made three changes for day-night Test against Australia

On the other hand, India made three changes to the line-up which registered a dominant 295-run victory in the Perth Test for the day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide. Rohit Sharma returned from paternity leave, Shubman Gill returned to his No.3 spot and Ravichandran Ashwin was recalled as the opener opposite Ravindra Jadeja for the encounter in Adelaide.

Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel and Washington Sundar made way for Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and Ravichandran Ashwin, with Nitish Kumar Reddy coming in at No. 7, just ahead of the off-spinner at No. 8 in the Indian XI for the day-night Test in course at the Adelaide Oval.

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Rohit Sharma said after winning the toss: “It will have a bit of scope for the fast bowlers, but as the game progresses, it will improve in batting. There will be something for everyone.

Here are the playing XIs for the Adelaide Test:

Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.

India XI: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.