Why are West Indies players wear black armbands in the 2nd Test against India?

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 10:15:27 GMT

The West Indies players were seen wearing black armbands on Day 1 of the second Test against India at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Friday. The gesture was a mark of respect for former West Indies all-rounder Bernard Julien, who passed away last week. Julien was part of the historic West Indies team that lifted the inaugural 1975 World Cup under the leadership of Clive Lloyd.

Cricket West Indies confirmed the tribute through an official statement, saying, “The West Indies players are wearing black armbands on day 1 as a tribute to former player Bernard Julien, who passed away last week. All-rounder Julien was a member of the 1975 World Cup winning team.” Julien, who made his international debut in 1973, represented the Caribbean side in 24 Tests and 12 ODIs, scoring 866 and 86 runs, respectively. He also picked up 30 wickets in Tests and 18 in ODIs, proving his all-round abilities.

Meanwhile, the second Test began with India captain Shubman Gill winning the toss and opting to bat first — marking his first toss win as India’s skipper. India currently leads the two-match series 1-0, after an emphatic innings and 140-run victory in the first Test at Ahmedabad.

Team Changes and Playing XIs

India decided to field an unchanged lineup for the match, showing faith in their winning combination. On the other hand, the visitors made two changes, bringing in Tevin Imlach and Anderson Phillip in place of Brandon King and Johann Layne.

The West Indies players are wearing black armbands on day 1 as a tribute to former player Bernard Julien who passed away last week.

Julien was a member of the 1975 World Cup winning team. #INDvWI | #MenInMaroon pic.twitter.com/XCTQh8TuIR
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) October 10, 2025

IND vs WI 2nd Test: Playing XIs

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Dhruv Jurel (w), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.

West Indies: John Campbell, Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Alick Athanaze, Shai Hope, Roston Chase (c), Tevin Imlach (w), Justin Greaves, Jomel Warrican, Khary Pierre, Anderson Phillip, Jayden Seales.

Indian players likely to wear black armbands in Asia Cup 2025 against Pakistan: Know the reason

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 18:53:54 GMT

The most awaited face-off of the Asia Cup 2025 is going to take place on Sunday, September 14, when India faces its archrivals in Pakistan. For almost over the past decade, these two much-anticipated nations have met only in ICC and ACC events, while the bilateral ties have been frozen in time. Media reports suggest that the Indian team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, is going to wear black armbands in-game as a silent protest.

This high-profile group-stage encounter is much more than cricket. Following on from the Pahalgam terror incident and military tensions that have followed, the debate as to whether India and Pakistan should be playing as rivals on world stages continues. While it is improbable that the Dubai International Cricket Stadium will see explicit demonstrations, things like handshake refusals or black armbands could make India’s position clear.

The political context has also prompted calls for a boycott of the match. Some critics have called for the BCCI and players to refuse to engage with Pakistan. Reports indicate that the mood in the Indian camp in Dubai has been relatively low-key, with the charged atmosphere of the match being behind it.

BCCI and Team India Weigh Symbolic Protest

Senior BCCI officials remain mindful of public sentiment ahead of the clash. For both the board and the players, the match is more than a group-stage contest, it is an opportunity to echo the emotions of the Indian people. India’s assistant coach, Ryan ten Doeschate, summed up the team’s mindset while addressing the media.

“We are aware of the sentiments and the strong feelings. And Gauti (Gautam Gambhir, head coach) message has just been very professional, about not worrying about things that are not in our control. I have no doubt the players share the compassion and feeling of the vast majority of the Indian public,” ten Doeschate said.