Canberra: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hosted the Indian cricket team at a reception here on Thursday ahead of the two-day pink ball (day-night Test) practice match against the Prime Minister's XI from November 30. This match will be played at Manuka Oval which will serve as a good preparation for the day-night Test to be held in Adelaide from December 6.
India had won the opening Test of the five-match Border-Gavaskar series by 295 runs. This is the team's biggest win in terms of runs on Australian soil. During the meeting with the Prime Minister, Indian captain Rohit Sharma followed the protocol and introduced all his teammates to him. During this, Albanese praised Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli, who were the heroes of the team's victory in the Perth Test.
After the meeting in the Parliament of Australia, the Prime Minister wrote on 'X', 'This week the Prime Minister's XI will face a big challenge against a brilliant Indian team at Manuka Oval. But as I have told Prime Minister Narendra Modi that I will support Australia.
The Prime Minister's XI, led by Jack Edwards, also met Albanese. Rohit also briefly addressed the Parliament. In his speech he highlighted the rich history of bilateral relations between India and Australia, including their shared love for cricket. He also said that Indian players love the challenge of playing in Australia and enjoy getting to know the country and its culture.
India have won two consecutive Test series in Australia and Rohit said the team wants to build on that success and entertain Australian and Indian fans. Cricket diplomacy is an important part of India-Australia relations. Albanese, during his official visit to India last year, along with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, met players from both the teams during the Test match in Ahmedabad.
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