Why Team India are wearing black arm bands in 3rd ODI vs Australia?

The members of the Indian cricket team were seen sporting black arm-bands in the 3rd ODI against Australia to honor the memory of former all-rounder Bapu Nadkarni, who died earlier on Friday. The former cricketer was 86 and is survived by his wife and two daughters.

The Men in Blue took the field during the third game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru wearing black arm-bands as a mark of respect for Nadkarni. The left-hander, who was also a slow left-arm orthodox bowler, played 41 Tests for India, scoring 1414 runs with 88 wickets. His best bowling figures were 6 for 43.

The Mumbaikar played 191 First-Class matches and picked up 500 wickets, scoring 8880 runs. The cricketer, who was born in Nashik, made his Test debut for the nation in 1955 against New Zealand in Delhi and turned out for his last game 13 years later, in 1968, against New Zealand under the leadership of Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi.

Nadkarni’s claim to fame was the 21 successive maiden overs that he bowled in a Chennai Test match (then Madras). His figures after that game had read 32-27-5-0.

Meanwhile, on the field, the Indian team managed to restrict their rivals to a score of below 300. Opting to chase after winning the toss, the Indian seamers were on the mark as they did not allow the Aussies to run away with the game in the powerplay overs. Aaron Finch’s run-out was the turning point, as the visitors were unable to gather steam at the top.

However, a fine stand between Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne meant that the Aussies looked well on course for a 300+ target in the final ODI.

Ravindra Jadeja, however, picked up two quick wickets in the middle overs, and the Indian seamers did well in the final 10 to ensure that they could only manage a score of 286. However, Shikhar Dhawan’s availability for the second innings remains in question, after he injured his left shoulder while stopping a ball in the Australian innings. He was taken to the hospital for X-rays.