Modi-Albanese friendship takes centre stage before fourth Test

Express News Service

AHMEDABAD:  Cricket diplomacy in the Indian context is an old tale. Multiple political leaders have indulged in it because of the sport’s popularity and its benefits. Soon after becoming Prime Minister 2014, Narendra Modi visited then Australian counterpart, Tony Abbott, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for a farewell dinner hosted by the latter. The bonhomie was hard to miss between the two leaders with Modi saying the meeting signalled a ‘new journey of our (between Australia and India) relationship has begun’.

A part of that ‘new journey’ was on display at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday just before the start of the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Thursday. The current Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, who has been in office for under a year, is in India to deepen ties between the two nations, including in key sectors like defence. Both leaders became the public faces for a cricketing campaign over the last couple of days: ‘75 years of friendship through cricket’. Posters adorning this message had come up everywhere inside the main stadium complex.

That ‘friendship’ was front and centre as the two of them walked next to each other to the giant stage that was erected for the function. While India was hoping for a bumper crowd capable of breaking the existing Test match attendance crowd, a still sizable crowd bore witness to both of them being presented with mementoes.

After the meet and greet (with the teams too), the crowd waved them on as they went on a ceremonial lap of honour around the stadium on a golf cart. It made for a slightly surreal experience as the two captains were already ready and waiting for the toss but tradition can wait when diplomacy was on the first page of the menu. Some chants of ‘Modi, Modi, Modi’, cut through the early morning air before cricket assumed centre stage.

Khawaja scores ton, Aussies make 255/4
Usman Khawaja scored a gritty unbeaten 103, his 14th century in Tests, to help Australia to a comfortable 255 for four. Cameron Green was 49 not out at close | P15

<br /> AHMEDABAD:  Cricket diplomacy in the Indian context is an old tale. Multiple political leaders have indulged in it because of the sport’s popularity and its benefits. Soon after becoming Prime Minister 2014, Narendra Modi visited then Australian counterpart, Tony Abbott, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for a farewell dinner hosted by the latter. The bonhomie was hard to miss between the two leaders with Modi saying the meeting signalled a ‘new journey of our (between Australia and India) relationship has begun’.</p> <p>A part of that ‘new journey’ was on display at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday just before the start of the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on Thursday. The current Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, who has been in office for under a year, is in India to deepen ties between the two nations, including in key sectors like defence. Both leaders became the public faces for a cricketing campaign over the last couple of days: ‘75 years of friendship through cricket’. Posters adorning this message had come up everywhere inside the main stadium complex.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.84 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.84 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>That ‘friendship’ was front and centre as the two of them walked next to each other to the giant stage that was erected for the function. While India was hoping for a bumper crowd capable of breaking the existing Test match attendance crowd, a still sizable crowd bore witness to both of them being presented with mementoes.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });</p> <p>After the meet and greet (with the teams too), the crowd waved them on as they went on a ceremonial lap of honour around the stadium on a golf cart. It made for a slightly surreal experience as the two captains were already ready and waiting for the toss but tradition can wait when diplomacy was on the first page of the menu. Some chants of ‘Modi, Modi, Modi’, cut through the early morning air before cricket assumed centre stage.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.84 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.84 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Khawaja scores ton, Aussies make 255/4<br /> Usman Khawaja scored a gritty unbeaten 103, his 14th century in Tests, to help Australia to a comfortable 255 for four. Cameron Green was 49 not out at close | P15<br />