Indian cricket team that are preparing ahead of the Border Gavaskar series against Australia checked into the Radisson Blu hotel in Nagpur ahead of the first Test on 9 February. As customary by Indian traditions the team was welcomed with a tilak across their head by hotel staff.
In a video that went viral on social media Indian cricketers and pace duo Umran Malik and Mohammed Siraj refused the customary welcome. The two were seen acknowledging the hotel staff but gestured with their hands that they didn't want the red mark on their foreheads.
Vikram Rathour who is the batting coach of the Indian cricket team was also seen refusing the application of Tilak.
Recently, Bharatiya Janata Party's Lok Sabha MP and former cricketer Gautam Gambhir (BJP MP Gautam Gambhir) uploaded a video of himself at the shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya (Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya) in Delhi. Sharing this video, Gautam Gambhir wrote, "Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya." At the same time, he also put a heart emoji. Some people praised him while some people went on to taunt the former opener.
Last month in light of the near-death accident of cricketer Rishabh Pant, Indian cricketers Suryakumar Yadav, Washington Sundar and Kuldeep Yadav visited the recently inaugurated Mahakal Temple in Ujjain to offer prayers for the speedy recovery of the wicketkeeper-batsman. They took part in early morning Bhasma Aarti offered to Lord Shiva, inside the temple.
Ahead of the final ODI against Sri Lanka in the recently-concluded three-match series last month, Indian players Yuzvendra Chahal, Suryakumar Yadav, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey visited the famed Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple.
