"Cricket, a common passion in India and Australia," PM Modi said in a tweet.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shared pictures of his visit to Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad where he watched a cricket match with "good friend" Anthony Albanese of Australia. The two Prime Ministers were greeted with loud cheering and applause as they took a lap of honour at the stadium to celebrate 75 years of friendship between Australia and India.
"Cricket, a common passion in India and Australia," PM Modi said in a tweet, sharing pictures of the two leaders enjoying the fourth Test match between India and Australia.
The two leaders took a lap of honour in a "chariot" fashioned out of a golf cart, before the fourth Test match. Though the gigantic stadium was not even half full due to the tight multi-layered security arrangement, the two heads of states still got the warmest of ovation from those present at the venue.
PM Modi and Mr Albanese handed over Test caps to their respective team captains, Rohit Sharma and Steve Smith.
Rohit Sharma and Australia skipper then introduced PM Modi and Anthony Albanese to the rest of the team.
BCCI captioned the video, "A special welcome & special handshakes!"
The two Prime Ministers stood alongside the players when the national anthems of India and Australia were sung.
BCCI president Roger Binny presented PM Albanese with his portrait while secretary Jay Shah gave one to PM Modi. The two leaders then inaugurated the newly designed Hall of Fame room where cricket and nostalgia are intrinsically seeped into each other.
"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," the Australian PM said in a tweet.
India is leading the Border-Gavaskar series by 2-1. A win in the final Test will ensure the team qualifies for the final of the ICC World Test Championship, where they will be facing Australia in London from June 7 onwards.