Indian Cricket Team Wears Green Armbands To Support BCCI’s Organ Donation Initiative

February 12, 2025: On Wednesday, the Indian cricket team, led by Rohit Sharma, wore green armbands to promote the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) initiative “Donate Organs and Save Lives.” This initiative aims to encourage people to pledge organ donations and save lives, with cricket stars, including Virat Kohli, leading the charge to raise awareness about this noble cause.

The initiative was conceived by Jay Shah, the current International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman and former BCCI secretary. Shah has always been passionate about social causes and is thankful that the BCCI can use prominent platforms like the Narendra Modi Stadium to spread such important messages.

Shah expressed his gratitude and commitment on social media, stating, “Sport has the power to inspire, unite and create lasting impact beyond the field. Through this initiative, we can take the greatest gift of all — a gift of life. Our pledge and one decision can save multiple lives. Let us come together and make a difference.”

The campaign aims to reach out to the public, encouraging them to pledge to donate organs, thus giving others the chance to live. This cause, close to Shah’s heart, also highlights his dedication to improving the stadium experience for fans, as evidenced by previous initiatives such as medical kiosks at the Narendra Modi Stadium during the 2023 World Cup.

Shah’s efforts also included inviting terminally ill children to watch a World Cup match, creating memorable experiences for them and their families.

In the cricket match, England won the toss and chose to bowl first. India made three changes to their lineup, with Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, and Varun Chakravarthy being rested, while Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, and Arshdeep Singh came into the XI. England made one change, with Tom Banton replacing Jamie Overton.

India’s Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana.

England’s Playing XI: Ben Duckett, Phil Salt (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Tom Banton, Liam Livingstone, Gus Atkinson, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Saqib Mahmood.