Why Did Players Wear Black Armbands During the 1st Test?

Leeds (UK), June 24 (NationPress) On the fifth day of the inaugural Test match between India and England at Headingley, players and officials from both teams donned black armbands to honor the late Dilip Doshi, a former Indian cricketer who passed away in London at the age of 77 due to heart-related issues.

The game began with a solemn two-minute silence, followed by an applause that celebrated the life and contributions of one of India's most esteemed left-arm spinners.

Dilip Doshi is survived by his wife Kalindi, his son Nayan Doshi, who played for Surrey and Saurashtra, and his daughter Vishakha.

The BCCI shared on X, "Both teams are wearing black armbands today in memory of the late Dilip Doshi, who left us on Monday. A minute's silence was observed prior to the start of Day 5."

Born in Rajkot on December 22, 1947, Doshi made his mark in Indian cricket despite debuting in Tests at a relatively late age of 32 in 1979 against Australia. Over his career from 1979 to 1983, he played 33 Tests and 15 ODIs, achieving 114 Test wickets at an average of 30.71, including six five-wicket hauls, along with 22 wickets in ODIs.

Domestically, he was a force, amassing an impressive 898 first-class wickets across 238 matches.

As Day 5 unfolded, the match remained finely balanced with all outcomes still feasible. England resumed their innings at 21/0, needing 350 more runs to reach a target of 371, while India sought 10 wickets to secure a 1–0 lead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series. With rain predicted, time could play a critical role in this evolving match.

India's second innings total of 364 featured two remarkable performances — KL Rahul's graceful 137 and Rishabh Pant's dynamic 118, who combined for a staggering 195-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Rahul demonstrated exceptional control, becoming the only Indian opener to score three Test centuries in England, while Pant's grit and flair allowed him to notch his second century of the Test, making history as the first Indian wicketkeeper to achieve this and matching the record for most Test centuries by a visiting keeper in England (4).

However, India's promising position shifted dramatically after Pant’s dismissal. From a solid 333/4, India collapsed to 364 all out, losing their last six wickets for just 31 runs in 71 balls, with England's Josh Tongue playing a key role by claiming three wickets in four balls, finishing with figures of 3/72. Ravindra Jadeja remained not out on 25, witnessing the collapse from the other end.

England's openers, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, confidently navigated the final six overs of Day 4, ending at 21 without loss, facing a daunting challenge ahead — to engineer one of the most remarkable chases in Test history. They are aware that India has lost only once when defending over 350 runs — a record set against this very England team during the 2022 Edgbaston Test, where they chased down 378 under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum's leadership.