The black armband was seen worn by both Indian and English players during the second Test match in Birmingham on Wednesday. It was in remembrance of Wayne Larkins, the former England cricketer, who died on June 28. Ben Stokes, the home captain, made the decision to bowl against India after winning the toss. After defeating Leeds by five wickets in the first game, England is now up 1-0 in the five-game series.

"Both teams are wearing black armbands to pay their respects to Wayne Larkins - the former England Cricketer, who has sadly passed away. There was a moment's applause before the start of play on Day 1 of the second Test in Birmingham," the BCCI update stated.

Who was Wayne Larkins?

Between 1979 and 1991, Larkins played for England in 13 Test matches and 25 One Day International (ODI) games. He was well-known for his aggressive batting, particularly in limited-overs cricket. In the 50-over format, he amassed 591 runs, including one century, and in 25 Test innings, he scored 493 runs, including three fifties. In addition to representing Durham and Northamptonshire, he was also a prolific run-scorer in county cricket. He racked up more than 27,000 first-class runs, which included 59 centuries.

As one of the most prolific openers in domestic cricket in the 1970s and 1980s, the former England batsman also played for England in the 1979 ODI World Cup.

Earlier, on the Northamptonshire website, Larkins' wife Debbie delivered a touching homage. She stated, "Everybody loved Ned because he loved everyone he met." His contagious enthusiasm attracted folks to him. He brightened up every room and hoped the celebration would never end.

"His beloved wife and daughters were his soulmate." He'll be up in the sky, partying and toasting to everyone and to his own life. We are heartbroken, but we will never forget his unmistakable uniqueness and the effect he had on our lives," she said.

In a last-ditch effort to tie the score, India made significant changes to its batting lineup by including Washington Sundar as the second spin-bowling all-rounder in place of Shardul Thakur and ruthlessly benching Sai Sudharsan in favor of Nitish Kumar Reddy, a fast-bowling all-rounder, during the game at Edgbaston. To help regulate his workload, Jasprit Bumrah was also given a day off, with Akash Deep taking his place in the lineup.

Read Also: India Drop Kuldeep Yadav for 2nd Test; Captain Gill’s Justification Sparks Debate

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