A huge hype starts to build around the cricket community ahead of the last and decider Test match of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2023 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to be present at the toss.
PM Modi, Australia PM Anthony Albanese To Be Present At IND vs AUS 4th Test Toss
The last and final Test match of India vs Australia Test series is scheduled to play on March 9 at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. In the 4-match Test series, India won the first two tests while the visitors won the third Test and qualified for the WTC 2021-23 final match.
On the other hand, India needs to win this match to qualify for the WTC finals. There is no need to explain the importance of the last Test match but this is not the most talkative point. The presence of the Indian PM and his Australian counterpart on the opening day of the 4th Test raised expectations.
In a radio interview with NOVA 93.7 Perth ahead of his ongoing visit to India, Albanese confirmed to the hosts, Nat Locke and Shaun Mcmanus, that he and PM Modi will be at the toss for the Ahmedabad Test.
“There is a lot of pressure on because myself and Prime Minister Modi are tossing the coin,” read a transcript of Albanese’s radio interview on the PM’s official website.
However, the Australian PM did not say if it will be him or PM Modi who will toss the coin.
To a question by the host, Nat, on “how do two people toss one coin”, the Australian PM said, “I have no idea how it is going to work. But he is the home Prime Minister. So, I think he will be in charge.”
Banners of Prime Minister Modi and his Australian counterpart have gone up at the Narendra Modi stadium ahead of the final Test. Along with those Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel will also be present at the stadium.
PM Modi has earlier visited the refurbished 1.1 lakh capacity stadium during the inauguration of the National Games last year, this is the first time he will be watching a Test match after its renaming.
Modi and Albanese’s visit is a part of the celebrations relating to the 75 years of Indo-Australia friendship. Both the PMs are expected to take a round of the stadium on a gold-plated golf car.
Earlier, Australian High Commissioner to India, Barry O’Farrell, told ANI that the Australian Prime Minister will watch Day-1 of the fourth Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series along with PM Modi on March 9.
“One of the things that bind both countries is cricket and it will be great to see the leaders of India and Australia on day one of the matches in Ahmedabad,” the Australian High Commissioner said.
CHECK: Today Indian Cricket Team Players List | India Match Update
India Squad
Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Srikar Bharat(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami, Ishan Kishan, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav
Australia Squad
Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith(c), Peter Handscomb, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Matthew Kuhnemann, Scott Boland, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Lance Morris
