The Indian cricket team donned black armbands on the second day of the fourth Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to honor former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who passed away in New Delhi.

Dr. Singh, known for his quiet and humble nature, served as India’s Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, making him one of the country’s longest-serving leaders. He passed away at the age of 92 due to age-related health complications. The BCCI announced, "The Indian team is wearing black armbands to honor the memory of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh."

Dr. Singh was a highly respected technocrat, widely admired for his honesty and integrity. He was chosen as Prime Minister in 2004 by Sonia Gandhi, the leader of the Congress Party, and also served as the party's leader in the Rajya Sabha.

On the field, India had a rough start to the day. While needing only four wickets to end Australia’s first innings, most Indian pacers struggled to bowl effectively, except for Jasprit Bumrah. Steve Smith and Pat Cummins capitalized on the loose bowling, adding quick runs early on. Sloppy fielding further hurt India’s performance after they had regained momentum on day one by taking four late wickets, leaving Australia at 311 for six.

A memorable moment from the previous day included young Australian debutant Sam Konstas impressing the crowd with his bold batting. However, tensions flared on day two when Virat Kohli accidentally bumped into Konstas on the pitch after the batsman had aggressively attacked India’s bowlers. The incident led to boos from the Australian crowd, adding to the heated atmosphere at the MCG, where over 87,000 spectators were present.