IND vs AUS WTC Final: India Players Wear Black Armbands In Memory Of Victims Of Odisha Train Accident

More than 250 people died in one of the most horrific train accidents that occurred in Odisha’s Balasore on Friday (June 2).

India and Australia players wore black armbands on their left sleeves and observed a minute’s silence before the national anthem.

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India is squaring off against Australia in World Test Championship (WTC) Final on Day 1 of IND vs AUS Kennington Oval Test in England. India won the toss and invited Australia to bat first. Meanwhile, players of both the teams wore black armbands on their left sleeves and observed a minute’s silence before the national anthem to pay their respect to victims of tragic train accident in Odisha. More than 250 people died while thousands of commuters faced injuries in one of the most horrific train accidents that occured after collision between two express passenger trains and a stopped freight train in Odisha’s Balasore on Friday (June 2).

Team India and Australia wearing black armbands and observing a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the Odisha train tragedy. pic.twitter.com/KZDlVTIoQI

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 7, 2023

ICC World Test Championship Final | Team India to play wearing black armbands to mourn the loss of lives in Odisha train accident pic.twitter.com/HfVsfgfQFh

— ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2023

"The team mourns the deaths and offers its deepest condolences to the families and friends of all those who tragically lost their lives," BCCI said in a statement.

At the time when this copy was filed, Australia, after being asked to bat first against India in the final of the World Test Championship, had a very poor start. Australia's first wicket fell on the score of two runs. Usman Khawaja, the highest run-scorer in the current cycle of the World Test Championship, was dismissed for zero after facing 10 balls. It was Mohammad Siraj who got him caught behind by wicketkeeper Shrikar Bharat. Marnus Labushen, the next man in, joined David Warner at the crease. After four overs, Australia's score was four runs for loss of one wicket.

Here's what Rohit Sharma said after winning the toss...

"We are going to bowl. Just the conditions and also the weather being overcast. I don't think the pitch will change too much. You have to play good cricket and come out on top. Four seamers and one spinner. The spinner is Jadeja. It's always tough (to leave Ashwin), he's been a match-winner for us over the course of so many years. But you got to do the things that's needed for the team and eventually we came up with that decision. He (Rahane) brings a lot of experience, he's played 80-odd Test matches and he's done well for the team. He's been out for a while but I don't think the experience that he has can change all of that," said Rohit.

Australia (Playing XI): David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Srikar Bharat(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj