Lagatar24 Desk
Ahead of the five-match ODI series against New Zealand, former All Blacks rugby great Kevin Mealamu presented personalised All Blacks jerseys to India captain Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma at Auckland’s historic Eden Park stadium.
Jerseys Carry the Cricketers’ Own Numbers
Mealamu gifted each cricketer a black jersey bearing his cricket number: 77 for Gill, 18 for Kohli and 45 for Rohit. Mealamu represented the All Blacks in 132 Tests and was part of the teams that won the Rugby World Cup in 2011 and 2015. The BCCI described the meeting, held before Wednesday’s series opener, as a memorable moment involving three Indian players and a New Zealand rugby legend.
Part of 100 Years of India-New Zealand Sporting Ties
The meeting is part of celebrations marking a century of sporting relations between the two countries, which began in 1926 when the Indian Army hockey team toured New Zealand in the presence of hockey great Major Dhyan Chand. India’s current tour of New Zealand is dedicated to this 100-year sporting legacy.
