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.
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.