A winter sun chased the morning chill away, children ran around the impossibly green vastness, some kicking a football and others wielding cricket bats, and the leaders of two of the world’s great sporting nations strode onto the field, hand in hand.
Here, then, was the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday, its emptiness all but swallowing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australia’s Anthony Albanese.
It was hardly the extravagant style of event that my colleague Stephen Brook described as a “genre-busting community/cultural/rock star/political extravaganza” at Marvel Stadium the previous evening.
Just a handful of children in sports shirts and young Auskickers in the jumpers of North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs populated the MCG’s cavernous expanse on Friday morning. Yes, and a character dressed as a giant orange kangaroo.
Nevertheless, the children swarmed Modi, skipping off happily when he had signed his autograph on their shirts.
The small crowd, outnumbered by journalists, photographers and camera crews, was there to witness two prime ministers declare that sport – specifically cricket but with the promise of more to come for footy – was a glue binding their two nations in ways that extended far beyond bat and ball.
Albanese could barely contain his enthusiasm when announcing that Australian cricket’s Big Bash League was to enter India’s vast cricketing culture.
It was part of a new level of co-operation between India and Australia which would include a giant expo in India showcasing Australia to be called G’day Namaste in a subcontinental echo of the successful G’day USA that is Australia’s premier public, economic and cultural diplomacy program across the Pacific.
Albanese did not need mention that India’s population is about 1.4 billion, cricket mad and a fast-growing market for much that little Australia has to offer.
“The season opener for this summer’s Big Bash between the Melbourne Renegades and the Perth Scorchers will be played in Chennai on Saturday, the 12th of December, and it will kick off a week-long G’day Namaste festival of Australian sport, culture, and business engagement,” Albanese enthused.
Naturally, a “road map” to bigger things in the future was required.
“That’s why Prime Minister Modi and I are here to launch a road map for sport collaboration between Australia and India to strengthen our long-standing partnership,” Albanese said.
“This road map will support practical co-operation in areas such as sports science and staging major sporting events, as well as broader opportunities in trade, tourism and investment.”
Oh, and Albanese declared himself “certain” that Australia would support India’s bid for the 2036 Olympics, which would follow Australia’s hosting of the 2032 Olympics in Queensland.
Modi gave a similarly warm speech in Hindi, translated into English by a handy interpreter, and he drew into it those children who met him on the MCG’s oval.
He made it clear that Australian footy, and not just cricket, was on his mind.
“A short while ago, we watched children playing kabaddi, footy, Australian rules football and cricket,” Modi said.
“Looking at their enthusiasm, it feels as though this was not an exhibition match, but an audition for future champions.”
Modi’s mention of footy would have been music to the ears of AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon, who was among those in the official party, which included cricket great Steve Waugh.
Albanese had already made it clear that the AFL had high hopes of extending its influence in India, though no concrete plans were revealed.
The new “road map” would “build on new growing areas of shared passion, and that brings me to footy”, he said.
“A few years ago, there were 150 people in India playing Australian rules football. Today, there are 10,000 players across 11 states, and I know that the AFL are big believers in that growth.”
With the speeches done (no questions from the media, thank you), Albanese, Modi and Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan left the field.
The real business, you can be sure, was about to take place in the MCG’s hallowed Long Room, where the AFL’s Dillon would be able to discuss his dreams with the prime minister of the most populous nation on Earth.
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