India and England cricket teams observed a minute's silence and will wear black armbands at Headingley on Day 1 of the opening Test match to honour the 274 victims of the Ahmedabad air disaster that occurred on June 12, when a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad.
LIVE: India vs England 1st Test Day 1In a statement, the England and Wales Cricket Board said, "Both teams will wear black armbands on Day 1 of the Test match as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives in the Air India plane crash last week in Ahmedabad. A moment’s silence will be observed prior to the respective national anthems."
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The tragic incident claimed the lives of 181 Indian nationals and 53 British citizens, making the tribute particularly meaningful for both teams as they ready for the five-Test series.
The aircraft crashed into a hostel block of the BJ Medical College in Ahmedabad's Meghaninagar area moments after takeoff, with only one person surviving the incident.
India's vice-captain Rishabh Pant expressed the team's collective grief and their commitment to uplift the nation's spirits through their performance. "What happened with the aircraft, the whole of India was saddened by it," Pant said on Wednesday.
"The only thing from our side, we're going to be sticking to how we can make India happy again," he added.
"The emotion is going to be high always because of what happened in the crash, but at the same time, we are going to put our best foot forward for the country. How we can make them happy is an added responsibility."
The upcoming Test series marks the beginning of the World Test Championship cycle for both teams, adding sporting significance to the emotional occasion.
The series represents a transitional period for Indian cricket, as it enters a new era following the retirement of key players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin from the Test format.
Shubman Gill will make his debut as India's Test captain, with Pant serving as vice-captain for the series.
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