Australia-India ‘cricket diplomacy’ begins from Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad; Watch

The crowds cheered and applauded before the crucial India-Australia last Test match at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday morning as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese took a lap of honour before spending a couple of hours together on the first day of the game.

As Albanese’s four-day India visit began, the two Prime Ministers went around the new Motera stadium waving at the crowds in a “chariot” made out of a golf cart before the fourth and final Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy began between the two countries.

As the strategic tour began, the Australian PM seemed to have set the tone of his visit as he tweeted soon after that, “On the field, Australia and India are competing to be the best in the world. Off the field, we are co-operating to build a better world."

He went on, “As two cricket-loving nations, Australia and India share a fierce but friendly rivalry. At the heart of this contest is genuine respect, reflecting the affection and friendship between our peoples.”

After playing a colourful Holi at the Raj Bhawan on Wednesday night with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and others, the Aussie PM also took a selfie of him with Modi and shared it with a tweet, “Celebrating 75 years of friendship through cricket with Indian Prime Minister @narendramodi.”

Australian PM on important visit to India

The Australian PM’s visit to India is crucial in the backdrop of the emergence of a ticklish geopolitical scenario, especially with China not sharing comfortable relations with India following the border disputes.

Australian envoy Barry O’Farrell was quoted as saying by a news agency that, “The main reason why Australian PM is in India is to deal with a complex geopolitical scenario, majorly involving China, an opponent with whom India has not had good relations in the past few years due border disputes.

"Our Prime Ministers are meeting at a time of global complexities where geo-strategic competition is causing disruptions," O’Farrell said.

Albanese’s key reason to visit India is to strengthen the business and defence ties with India as rising strategic competition from China stares in the face. The two countries had signed an interim trade pact last year and would wish to expand it to restrict the increasing reliance on China.

Modi & Albanese present Test caps to Rohit & Smith

In front of a jam-packed stadium on Thursday, Modi and Albanese presented Test caps to Rohit Sharma and Steve Smith of India and Australia respectively and shook hands with the players of both the teams and stood alongside them when the national anthems of both countries were being sung.

PM Modi felicitated by BCCI

BCCI secretary BCCI Jay Shah also presented an artwork to Modi, as a mark of celebration between “75 years of friendship with Australia through cricket.”

Soon after he arrived in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, the Aussie PM tweeted, “An incredible welcome to Ahmedabad, India. The beginning of an important trip for Australia-India relations.” He said his trip “demonstrates the commitment to deepen the links between the two countries and become a force for stability and growth in our region.”

Albanese visits Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram

Albanese was welcomed by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who also accompanied the Australian PM to Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram. "One of the things that binds 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," Australian High Commissioner Barry O'Farrell had earlier said.

India is ahead in the Border-Gavaskar series by 2-1. A win in Ahmedabad will ensure the host team qualifies for the final of the ICC World Test Championship, where they will be facing Australia in London from June 7 onwards.