Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had an engaging interaction with the Indian cricket team on Thursday at Parliament House in Canberra. The team, led by Captain Rohit Sharma, was welcomed by Albanese ahead of their crucial two-day pink-ball warm-up match against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI at Manuka Oval, starting Saturday.
In a light-hearted video circulating online, Prime Minister Albanese can be seen exchanging pleasantries with the Indian cricketers, offering compliments and joking around. Albanese shared a warm handshake with Indian Captain Rohit Sharma, before turning his attention to Jasprit Bumrah. Praising Bumrah’s captaincy style, Albanese commented on the bowler’s distinctive approach to the game, which left Bumrah grinning.
AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER HAVING A CHAT WITH ROHIT, KOHLI & BUMRAH. 🇮🇳🇦🇺pic.twitter.com/SB1sgUnWFO
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 28, 2024
The conversation continued with a cheerful greeting for former Indian Captain Virat Kohli. Albanese praised Kohli for his remarkable century in Perth, joking, “Good ton in Perth, as if we weren’t suffering enough at that point.” To this, Kohli responded with a laugh, saying, “Always got to add some spice,” prompting Albanese to break into laughter as well.
The friendly exchange marked a light moment ahead of India’s practice match against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI, which will play a pivotal role in preparing the Indian team for the upcoming day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide. The match is particularly significant as it will be the only warm-up game India will have before the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, set to begin on December 6.
The Indian team’s visit to Canberra follows their triumph in the first Test in Perth, where they defeated Australia by 295 runs. In that match, Virat Kohli scored his 30th Test century, while Jasprit Bumrah was named Player of the Match after taking eight wickets, leading India to a dominant victory.
During the meet-up, Albanese also shared a message with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, backing the Australian team ahead of their upcoming challenges. “Big challenge ahead for the PM’s XI at Manuka Oval this week against an amazing Indian side. But as I said to PM Narendra Modi, I’m backing the Aussies to get the job done,” he remarked.
As the Indian team gears up for the upcoming day-night Test match at Adelaide, their time in Canberra for the pink-ball warm-up match against the PM’s XI will be crucial for getting acclimatized to the conditions. The match, scheduled to start on December 6, will be a key battle for both teams in this highly anticipated series.
The Indian cricket team arrived in Canberra from Perth on the morning of November 28, Thursday. The team’s preparations for the second Test against Australia are in full swing, with the warm-up match serving as a perfect opportunity for the players to fine-tune their strategies and performance ahead of the critical Border-Gavaskar Trophy clash.
