Why are India and Australia wearing black armbands in today’s AUS vs IND 2025 2nd T20I?

India and Australia players are wearing black armbands for the second T20I at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday, October 31. The two teams are donning the bands as a tribute to Ben Austin, a 17-year-old Melbourne cricketer, who died after being hit by a ball on his neck during training on Tuesday, October 28.

The incident took place at Ferntree Gully in Melbourne's outer east, and Austin was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Notably, the teenage cricketer was wearing a helmet, but without a stem guard, when facing deliveries sent down by a sidearm ahead of a T20 match.

He was placed on life support at Monash Children's Hospital but did not survive and was pronounced dead on Thursday morning.

India and Australia women's cricketers had also donned black armbands for ther semi-final clash in the 2025 World Cup on Thursday at the D.Y Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. On Friday, the two men's teams had observed a moment of silence as well ahead of the Melbourne T20I.

Australia win toss and opt to bowl first at the MCG

Mitchell Marsh and Suryakumar Yadav during toss. (Image Credits: BCCI X)

Meanwhile, the coin toss once again fell in favour of Australian captain Mitchell Marsh, who sent the Men in Blue to bat first in Melbourne. While the home side made one change by bringing in Matt Short for Josh Philippe, India went ahead with an unchanged playing XI.

The first T20I at the Manuka Oval in Canberra ended in a washout after rain came in when India were 97/1 in 9.4 overs. Although Nathan Ellis had dismissed Abhishek Sharma for 19, Suryakumar Yadav (39*) and Shubman Gill (37*) had given the visitors the required momentum, putting them on course for a big total.

Following the first rain break, the contest was reduced to 18 overs, but the second interruption left no time for play to resume. At the time of writing, Australia's new-ball bowler Josh Hazlewood had dismissed Shubman Gill for 5 to give the hosts the first breakthrough.

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Edited by Sankalp Srivastava