WTC 2023 Final: This is why India & Australia players are wearing black armbands

The World Test Championship final between India and Australia has finally gotten underway with south London Kennington Oval playing hosts this time around. A lot's been on the radar of analysts - from the gloomy weather to the strikingly green, grass-heavy wicket - and one certainly reckons that if both teams step up to the occasion, it would be a match that's worth all the hype.

Rohit Sharma won the important toss and sent the Aussies in to bat first, as his decision drew a loud cheer from the crowd present. In the same vein, the momentous occasion of the WTC 2023 Final, which sees the culmination of yet another grinding phase of international men's Test cricket, also offered a great opportunity for everyone present to pay their respects to the victims of the tragic Odisha train accident.

Both Indian and Australian players stepped out onto the ground wearing black armbands to express their solidarity with those who suffered in the ghastly train accident that occurred on June 2 in the state of Odisha. The stadium announcer at The Oval, too, would urge everyone, including the players, the ground staff and the crowd, to observe a moment's silence in remembrance of those who lost their lives.

On 2 June 2023 in the Balasore District of Odisha, three trains collided in a freakish accident that resulted in a total of 288 people losing their lives and leaving as many as 1,175 others injured. The incident has been described as India's worst train accident in over two decades.

Coming back to the match, the one-off Test will decide the winner of the second edition of the World Test Championship that spanned two years (2021 to 2023). With Australia finishing on top in the league stages and India coming a close second, both teams would want to end the league on a high by securing a win. New Zealand played India in the first WTC final and emerged victorious on the back of a solid performance.