Prime Minister Narendra Modi & Australian PM Anthony Albanese graced the occasion of the first day of the ongoing fourth and the final test match between India & Australia of the Border Gavaskar trophy 2023 played at Narendra Modi cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The two Prime Ministers waved at the crowds as they took rounds of the Narendra Modi stadium. Commemorating 75 years of Cricket being played between the two nations, the two Prime Ministers were felicitated by Roger Binny, BCCI President Roger Binny & BCCI Secretary Jay Shah. Thousands of cricket fans cheered the two leaders who went around the stadium. PM Modi & his Australian counterpart also saw a photo exhibition highlighting the strong cricketing ties with Former Indian Cricket team coach Ravi Shastri explaining the significance of each picture. The two leaders also met the teams and displayed a special gesture ahead of the match by presenting their respective test caps to the two captains of the playing teams.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has in the past used his cricket diplomacy to deepen ties between two nations. In 2016, PM Modi while addressing a joint press conference with then New Zealand Prime Minister John Key used the term ‘ aggressive batting’ to describe the deepening ties between India and New Zealand. In quite a few rallies, PM Modi has used Cricket analogies to describe particular situations.
India & Australia are facing each other in the fourth and final test of the Border Gavaskar series. The cricket rivalry between two nations is considered to be one kf the most toughest in the world, comparable to the Ashes. While India already lead the series 2-1, Australia had qualified for the World Test Championship final, which will be played in June at the Oval by striking back at Indore. The Indian Cricket team are yet to confirm their spot. If India manages to win the final test, they will qualify directly for the WTC final. If Australia draws the series, India will have to depend on the outcome of the Sri Lanka vs New Zealand test series to have their chances. Though there is high likelihood that India will qualify for the final, the game of cricket can throw up some quick surprises. The Indore match came under heavy controversy as the pitch was deemed ‘ Poor’ by the ICC. Earlier, Australia captain Steve Smith won the toss and opted to bat in Ahmedabad.
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