Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked his visit to the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday with a special gesture for legendary Australia cricket team captain Steve Waugh, presenting him with an almost two-decade-old
photograph from their first meeting.
The picture is from the time when Modi was serving as the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
Modi visited the iconic venue alongside Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan, where a landmark announcement was made.
Sport is a key pillar of the India-Australia partnership, bringing our people closer through shared passion and mutual respect.
Delighted to visit the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) with PM Albanese.
More sporting exchanges, youth engagement and collaboration can… pic.twitter.com/o90MSPIswm
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 10, 2026
The Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers will create history when they meet at Chennai’s M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on December 12 to open the 2026-27 Big Bash League season. The fixture will mark the first-ever BBL match to be played outside Australia, with the Renegades designated as the home side.
The game is planned after the fourth day of the opening Test between Australia and New Zealand in Perth.
The initiative has received joint support from India and Australia, with partial financial backing from the Centre of Australia-India Relations as part of broader efforts to deepen sporting and diplomatic connections between the two nations. Chennai was selected as the host city with support from the BCCI and Australian Consul-General Silai Zaki, owing to its deep cricketing heritage and the immense popularity of the Chennai Super Kings, the IPL team with the largest social media following.
The upcoming fixture will make the BBL the first overseas domestic cricket competition to stage a match in India. Although Australian sides such as the Perth Scorchers, Brisbane Heat and Hobart Hurricanes have previously played in India during the now-discontinued Champions League T20, no official BBL match has ever taken place on Indian territory. Cricket Australia also previously moved a Sheffield Shield match to New Zealand in 2016.
Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia’s General Manager of Big Bash Leagues, said hosting the opening match in India highlights the league’s international growth and the close cricketing relationship shared by India and Australia. The contest is projected to become the most-watched match in the history of any Australian domestic sporting competition.
Australian broadcasters are expected to travel to Chennai with commentary teams, while JioStar will provide coverage for Indian audiences. Cricket Australia is targeting a sell-out crowd at the 38,000-seat stadium and plans to introduce travel packages for supporters from Australia.
During his MCG visit, Modi also met children participating in exhibition games featuring cricket, kabaddi and Australian rules football. The activities included appearances by sporting greats such as Steve Waugh and former Australia women’s cricketer Lisa Sthalekar, highlighting the expanding sporting partnership between India and Australia.
The two Prime Ministers also unveiled the India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap, designed to enhance cooperation in areas including sports development, youth initiatives, infrastructure and athlete talent pathways.
Modi congratulated Australia on its victory in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup and said the next decade presents significant possibilities for joint efforts. He pointed to India’s hosting of the 2030 Commonwealth Games and Australia’s staging of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics as major opportunities for both countries to work together in sport.
With IANS Inputs
