Why Did India and England Wear Black Armbands Today?

July 2, 2025: Players from India and England wore black armbands on Day 1 of the second Test in Birmingham to honour former England cricketer Wayne Larkins, who passed away on June 28 at the age of 71.

Before the first ball was bowled, both teams stood for a moment’s applause, marking a heartfelt tribute to the man known fondly as “Ned.” The BCCI confirmed the gesture, saying it was in recognition of Larkins’ contribution to the game.

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Larkins represented England in 13 Tests and 25 ODIs between 1979 and 1991. He featured in the 1979 World Cup final, batted at No. 7, and even rolled his arm over for a couple of overs. His most iconic moment came in 1990, when he hit the winning runs at Sabina Park, helping England take a surprise 1-0 lead in the West Indies.

However, his international career faced setbacks—most notably a three-year ban after joining the 1982 rebel tour to South Africa. Despite this, Larkins’ domestic career was nothing short of remarkable. A Northamptonshire stalwart, he played over 700 games for the club and later moved to Durham, ending a career that boasted 40,000 runs and 85 centuries. Between 1978 and 1985, he crossed the 1,000-run mark in first-class cricket every single season.

His 1983 purple patch, including scores of 236 and 252 within weeks, highlighted his tremendous talent—even though he remained ineligible for a national comeback at the time due to the ban.

Meanwhile, on the field in Birmingham, India entered the second Test trailing 0-1 in the series. In the previous match, they failed to defend a 371-run target despite boasting a pace-heavy attack led by Jasprit Bumrah, alongside Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, and Mohammed Siraj, with Ravindra Jadeja as the lone spinner.