Diplomacy, Cricket, Friendship: Modi, Albanese Witness 'Exciting Game' Between India-Australia at Motera Stadium

As cricket plays a significant role in the diplomatic relations between India and Australia, the mutual passion for the bat-and-ball game between the two countries was on full display in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad city on Thursday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese enjoyed a good part of an intense opening session of the final game of the fourth match Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium.

Modi and Albanese took a round of the gigantic stadium in a cricket-themed motor cart. They received a warm welcome and a thundering round of applause from a crowd of about 40,000 present at the venue. They took a lap of honor at the stadium with AR Rehman’s songs ‘Vande Matram’ and ‘Jai Ho’ playing in the background, adding more energy to the air.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi said, “Cricket, a common passion in India and Australia! Glad to be in Ahmedabad with my good friend, PM @AlboMP to witness parts of the India-Australia Test Match. I am sure it will be an exciting game!"

Albanese also shared a selfie with PM Modi on Twitter and said, “Celebrating 75 years of friendship though cricket with Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi"

Both India and Australia are cricket-loving nations, and the sport is deeply embedded in their cultures. The love for the game is a common factor that brings people together, regardless of their cultural and ethnic differences.

Interestingly, it was in 1947, just a few months after India gained Independence from British rule, the Indian cricket team embarked on its first-ever tour of Australia which helped to strengthen the relationship between the two countries and laid the foundation for future cricketing ties. Over the last decades, both the countries have played numerous high-profile matches against each other.

The two captains — Rohit Sharma and Steve Smith — walked into the field with their respective Prime Ministers and introduced them to the other players.

Both the countries have also used cricket as a means to raise awareness and funds for social causes. In 2020, the Indian and Australian cricket teams played a charity match to raise funds for the victims of the bushfires that ravaged parts of Australia earlier that year.

Last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had gifted a cricket bat signed by Indian skipper Rohit Sharma to his Australian counterpart Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

Cricket is considered a national obsession in India and has often been used as a tool for sending political and diplomatic messages. Mostly cricket diplomacy has been used in the context of easing up ties with neighboring Pakistan. Pakistan’s President General Zia-ul-Haq’s had visited Delhi during a one-dayer in 1987 between India and Pakistan at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. This was the first visit of Pakistan’s head of state since the 1971 India-Pakistan war and helped significantly in easing up the Indo-Pak ties.

Notably, several prominent cricketers in India have also ventured into politics. Some of them are Navjot Singh Sidhu, Mohammad Azharuddin, Kirti Azad, Chetan Chauhan, Gautam Gambhir among others.

In Australia too, cricketers ventured into politics, with former Australian captain John Howard served as the country’s prime minister from 1996 to 2007. Howard was a passionate cricket fan and often used the sport as a way to connect with the Australian citizens.

The cricketing rivalry between India and Australia has had its fair share of controversies, including several heated on-field incidents between players. However, both countries have also shown a willingness to work through their differences and maintain a healthy relationship off the field.

Cricket has provided a platform for Indians and Australians to understand each other’s cultures. Fans, players, and officials from both countries have travelled to each other’s countries to play and watch cricket, which has allowed them to experience the culture and way of life in each other’s countries.

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