Team India Join Australia For Special Pre-Match Ceremony Ahead Of 1st ODI

Team India joined Australia in a special ceremony before the start of the first ODI at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Friday. Both the teams came up with special gestures to acknowledge the indigenous Australians, the traditional owners of the land.

Players from both the sides participated in a special Barefoot Circle to acknowledge Australia’s First Nations people. Explaining the concept of the Barefoot Circle, Cricket Australia wrote:

“The barefoot circle is a cricket centric way for players and teams to take a moment prior to matches to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land, connect to each other as opponents and pay respect to the country (land).

“This is done barefoot as a way to connect to country, but also a moment to reflect that we are all common ground, we are all human beings and we need to stand strong with each other, for each other. The circle is often part of pre-series activities and has started in Reconciliation Round as a stance of anti-racism, commitment to reconciliation and strength together,” it added.

Our Aussie men were joined by India in a pre-match Barefoot Circle to respectfully acknowledge the traditional owners of the land, connect to each other as opponents and pay respect to the country! ??❤️ #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/UMhDGVEkCm

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) November 27, 2020

Talking about the game, Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. The match is the first played by the men’ side in Australia since the single ODI against New Zealand on 13th March. The series was abandoned the next day because of the developing pandemic.

The match is also India’s first since March. Unlike India, Australia returned to action in September with the tour of England where they played three ODIs and three T20Is. After the three ODIs, India and Australia will also play three T20Is and four Tests.

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