Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh with a framed archival photograph from nearly two decades ago during his visit to the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday, highlighting the enduring sporting relationship between India and Australia.
The special gift featured a photograph from the period when Modi was serving as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, commemorating an earlier meeting with the Australian cricket legend.
Rare photograph becomes highlight of MCG visit
The framed photograph emerged as one of the standout moments of Modi’s visit to the MCG, where he was accompanied by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Sharing the occasion, Modi underlined the strong sporting ties between the two countries and expressed optimism about expanding cooperation in sports, youth engagement, infrastructure and talent development.
“As both our nations prepare to host major global sporting events in the years ahead, there is immense potential to deepen cooperation in sports, youth engagement, infrastructure and talent development,” the Prime Minister said.
Big Bash League to begin in India
During the event, India and Australia also announced a landmark cricket initiative.
The 2026-27 Big Bash League (BBL) season will begin in Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, marking the first time a BBL match will be played outside Australia.
Cricket Australia confirmed that the opening fixture on December 12 will feature the Melbourne Renegades against the Perth Scorchers.
Modi said hosting international sporting events in India offers enormous global reach and audience engagement.
“For any sporting league, hosting an event in India guarantees extensive reach and viewership,” he said.
India eyes 2036 Olympics
During his address, Modi reiterated India’s ambition to host the 2036 Olympic Games, while noting that the country is already preparing to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
He said major international sporting events present new opportunities to strengthen cooperation between India and Australia across multiple sectors.
Albanese praises India-Australia cricket bond
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed Modi at the MCG and reflected on the historic cricket rivalry between the two nations.
He recalled the record attendance during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and praised Australian cricket greats Steve Waugh and Lisa Sthalekar for their contribution to the sport and their popularity among Indian fans.
Albanese said the coming decade offers significant opportunities for both countries to deepen sporting collaboration as Australia prepares to host the 2032 Olympic Games and India pursues its Olympic ambitions.
New roadmap to strengthen sports cooperation
The two leaders also visited the Shane Warne Stand at the MCG, where they unveiled a new Roadmap on Sport Cooperation.
The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration in areas including:
- Sports science and technology
- Talent development
- Capacity building
- Infrastructure development
- Investment and sports industry partnerships
- Major sporting event management
The roadmap is expected to further enhance cooperation between India and Australia while creating new opportunities for trade, tourism and sports-related investment.
