Why Were Armbands Worn? A Look Back at the India-England Test at Leeds

The final day of the India-England Test saw a poignant scene as players from both sides donned black armbands. This act of remembrance was in honor of Dilip Doshi, a former Indian spinner, who passed away in London on June 23, 2025, at the age of 77. The BCCI also shared their condolences on June 24. Doshi made his Test debut in 1979 and went on to play 33 Tests and 15 ODIs for India, concluding his international career in 1983 with 114 Test wickets and 22 ODI wickets. His impact on domestic cricket was also significant, amassing 898 wickets in 238 matches. The use of armbands was not isolated to this instance. On Day 1, players wore them to pay respect to the victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash. A minute of silence was also observed on Day 3 for David ‘Syd’ Lawrence. The Indian women’s team, currently in England, also paid tribute to Dilip Doshi with a minute’s silence and by wearing black armbands during their warm-up game.