Why are Indian and Australian players wearing black armbands in Sydney?

SYDNEY: The Indian and Australian cricket teams will wear black armbands and observe one-minute silence ahead of the first ODI on Friday in honour of Dean Jones, who passed away in September.

The former Australian batsman, who represented his country in 52 Test matches and 164 ODIs, was in Mumbai as a part of IPL official broadcaster’s commentary panel when he died on September 24 due to cardiac arrest.

To honour his life, Cricket Australia has decided to pay two significant tributes during the India series.

In order to pay homage to late Jones, both India and Australia will be wearing black armbands in the first ODI which will be contested at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

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Other than paying a tribute to Jones, Australian cricketers also paid a tribute to late Australia batsman Phillip Hughes as today marks the sixth anniversary of his demise.

“Today, as they take the field at the SCG, Australia’s limited overs squad will walk past Phillip Hughes’ plaque, which stands in perpetuity atop the players’ race. Our thoughts are also very much with today’s players and all who played with or against Phillip,” Interim CEO of Cricket Australia Nick Hockley had said in a statement before the start of the match.

The Board of Control for cricket India (BCCI) on its twitter handle wrote, “#TeamIndia are sporting black armbands to pay their tributes to Dean Jones and in memory of Phillip Hughes, who passed away on this day six years ago.”

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