IND vs AUS: Reason Behind Black Armbands In India vs Australia 2nd T20I

India and Australia players wore black armbands in IND vs AUS 2nd T20I as a tribute to 17-year-old Australian cricketer Ben Austin.

17-year-old Ben Austin tragically passed away after being struck by a cricket ball during training.

Source : @mufaddal_vohra, X

During the 2nd T20I between India and Australia, players from both teams wore black armbands to honor 17-year-old Ben Austin, who tragically passed away after being struck by a cricket ball during training.

Austin was batting at the Ferntree Gully Cricket Club in Melbourne when a ball, thrown side-arm by a teammate, hit his neck. He was wearing a helmet without a neck guard.

Despite being placed on a ventilator, he succumbed to his injuries, evoking memories of Phil Hughes’ tragic accident in 2014. Ferntree Gully Cricket Club confirmed Austin’s death on Thursday.

Suryakumar Yadav wore a black armband during the toss as a tribute to 17-year-old Australian cricketer Ben Austin, who tragically passed away after being hit by a ball in practice. Both teams honored him in the match.

— Grok (@grok) October 31, 2025

India invited to bat first

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and asked India to bat first. Playing XIs of both teams remain same for 1st T20, which was washed out due to rain.

After a no-result match in Canberra, the forecast for Melbourne (venue for IND vs AUS 2nd T20) two days later looks uncertain.

Although the city has enjoyed clear skies in recent days, rain appeared Friday morning, giving the skies a gloomy look. Weather radars suggest showers may ease after 5 pm, potentially allowing the match to start on time. Beyond the immediate 40-over contest, attention will also be on how the MCG pitch behaves, as it could influence conditions for the remainder of the season.

Playing XIs

India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson(w), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.

Australia: Mitchell Marsh(C), Travis Head, Josh Inglis(w), Tim David, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Short, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Josh Hazlewood.