On the second day of the fourth Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the Indian cricket team honored former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh by wearing black armbands as a tribute. Dr. Singh, who passed away on December 26, 2024, at the age of 92, succumbed to age-related medical conditions. His sudden loss of consciousness at home led to his immediate transfer to AIIMS Delhi, where, despite attempts to revive him, he was declared dead at 9:51 PM.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) acknowledged the gesture, posting a message on X: "The Indian Cricket Team is wearing black armbands as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh who passed away on Thursday." The passing of Dr. Singh has deeply saddened the nation, with condolences pouring in from various figures, including former cricketers Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Irfan Pathan, and Shikhar Dhawan.

Dr. Singh, born in Punjab in 1932, served as Prime Minister of India for two terms, from 2004 to 2014. He took office after Congress' victory in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, defeating the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA. He served a second term from 2009 to 2014, after which he was succeeded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Earlier this year, Dr. Singh retired from the Rajya Sabha after an illustrious 33-year tenure.

AIIMS released a statement detailing the events surrounding his death: "With profound grief, we inform the demise of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, aged 92. He was treated for age-related medical conditions and passed away despite all efforts to revive him."