It is not the first cricket player from outside India to express his wishes following the dedication of the Ram Temple, Rahmanullah Gurbaz.
The ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of the idol in a lavish ceremony marked the opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Monday. Rahmanullah Gurbaz, the wicketkeeper and batsman for Afghanistan, posted an Instagram story on Wednesday to commemorate the event. Gurbaz shared a selfie along with the Indian musician Jubin Nautiyal’s song “Mere Ghar Ram Aaye Hai” on his Instagram story. Gurbaz is not the first non-Indian cricket player to share his wishes following the dedication of the Ram Temple, despite the fact that his post has gone popular on social media.
Also, to commemorate the event, Australian batter David Warner published a unique post. Many active and retired Indian cricket players attended the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony.
The intricate ‘Pran Pratishtha ceremony’ culminated in the unveiling of the Ram Lalla idol. The ceremony was presided over by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and entailed many hours of rituals.
Sachin Tendulkar and Anil Kumble, two former Indian cricket players, arrived in Ayodhya the night before the event to witness the grand opening and the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Shri Ram Lalla.
Despite being invited earlier this month, former India captain MS Dhoni did not show up for the ceremony.
The Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha event in Ayodhya was sent an invitation to star Indian batter Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma, but they ultimately chose not to attend.
For personal reasons, Kohli also opted out of the opening two Test matches against England.
“Virat Kohli has requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to be withdrawn from the first two Tests of the upcoming IDFC First Bank Test series against England, citing personal reasons,” Jay Shah, secretary of the BCCI, said in a statement.
According to the BCCI, Kohli has spoken with team management and skipper Rohit Sharma about his choice.
“Virat has spoken to captain Rohit Sharma, the team management and the selectors and has emphasized that while representing the country has always been his top priority, certain personal situations demand his presence and undivided attention,” the press release continued.
