On Day 5 of the Headingley Test between England and India, players from both teams wore black armbands as a mark of respect for former Indian left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi, who passed away on Monday night in London at the age of 77. The gesture was a solemn tribute to Doshi's contributions to Indian cricket.
Dilip Doshi, who made his Test debut for India at the age of 32 in 1979, represented the country in 33 Tests and 15 One-Day Internationals between 1979 and 1983. He took 114 Test wickets and 22 ODI wickets, and was known for his sharp turn and consistency. His death was confirmed by the BCCI, who paid their respects to the late cricketer.
The players also observed a minute's silence before the start of play on Day 5, honoring Doshi's memory and his impact on the sport. The India women's team, currently in England, also observed a minute-long silence ahead of their warm-up match against the ECB Select XI and will wear black armbands in memory of Dilip Doshi.
Notably, this was the third time during the Headingley Test that players from both teams wore black armbands. On Day 1, the players paid tribute to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash, where a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff, claiming many lives. On Day 3, the teams honored former England fast bowler David "Syd" Lawrence, who passed away at the age of 61 after battling Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
David 'Syd' Lawrence made his Test debut for England in 1988 and played five Tests and one ODI. He was the first British-born Black player to represent England and became a leading figure in the movement for diversity and inclusion in cricket.