Cricket took a solemn pause on Friday as India and England observed a moment of silence before the start of the first Test at Headingley, Leeds, to honour the victims of the recent Ahmedabad air disaster. All players from both sides wore black armbands as a mark of respect.
The tragic incident occurred on June 12 when a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, resulting in the loss of 274 lives. The disaster claimed the lives of 181 Indian nationals and 53 British citizens, making the tribute especially meaningful for both teams.
Ahead of the toss, captains Shubman Gill and Ben Stokes joined Ravi Shastri and match officials in the centre, where England won the toss and opted to bowl first. Gill confirmed that India would have chosen to bowl as well, acknowledging the early conditions but expecting the pitch to ease out later. He also announced debutant Sai Sudharsan at No. 3 and the return of Karun Nair to the Test XI.
The tribute underlined the human connection between the two nations, reminding everyone that some moments transcend the sport.
Ahmedabad Plane Crash