Indian players mourn Ahmedabad plane crash victims ahead of intra-squad match

In a heartfelt tribute to the victims of the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash, Indian cricketers and support staff members observed a minute’s silence and donned black armbands ahead of their intra-squad match on Friday at Beckenham, where the team is currently engaged in a four-day warm-up fixture ahead of the upcoming Test series.

The devastating accident occurred on Thursday afternoon, when Air India flight AI-171, en route to London and carrying 242 people including crew members, crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. In a heartbreaking outcome, only one passenger is reported to have survived the crash.

The players and members of support staff involved in the intra-squad game in Beckenham are wearing black armbands.

A minute`s silence was also observed today to pay homage to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash, as a mark of respect for the lives lost and solidarity with… pic.twitter.com/u364pNdGyu

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 13, 2025

Confirming the gesture, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued an official statement: “The players and members of support staff involved in the intra-squad game in Beckenham are wearing black armbands,” the statement read. “A minute`s silence was also observed today to pay homage to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash, as a mark of respect for the lives lost and solidarity with the affected families,” it added.

Members of the touring contingent, with several players and staff, expressed their sorrow and condolences on social media. Head coach Gautam Gambhir, Test captain Shubman Gill, along with senior players KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja, were among those who shared their grief publicly.

Joining the outpouring of sympathy, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar also conveyed his condolences, posting an emotional message on X: “Devastated and heartbroken by the flight crash in Ahmedabad. Such a tragic incident! Prayers for the departed souls, and may God give strength and courage to their loved ones at this difficult time,” Tendulkar wrote.

The intra-squad match currently underway marks the final preparatory game for the Indian team before they begin their much-anticipated five-match Test series against England. The opening Test is scheduled to commence at Headingley, Leeds, on June 20.

Indian squads at a glance

India A Squad: Abhimanyu Easwaran (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel (vice-captain/wicket-keeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Mukesh Kumar, Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sarfaraz Khan, Tushar Deshpande, Harsh Dubey

India Test Squad: Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper/vice captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav

This article first appeared on Mid Day