Debasis Sen, Sydney: Australian legend Glenn McGrath has heaped huge praises on Indian captain Virat Kohli for his gesture on the Pink Day Test in progress here at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Talking to the reporters at the Pink Village outside Gate E of Sydney Cricket Ground, McGrath said, “”I was chatting to him down in Melbourne and he said he’s got all his pink gear ready and (to) keep an eye on it when we get to Sydney, it’s going to be pretty special.”
Virat was seen with pink gloves and bat with pink handle and a pink MRF logo on his bat as he walked in to bat on Day 1 of the Pink Test. “It was massive. It’s very humbling that someone like Virat would do that, that was a very special moment,” said McGrath. The McGrath Foundation, which was set up in 2005 has been raising awareness in support of the illness and fund breast care nurses to support individuals and their families. The former Australian great lost his wife Jane due to breast cancer in 2008. This year the Foundation celebrated the 11th anniversary of the Pink Day Test. The SCG Test is now known as the Pink Test and the third day is called Jane McGrath Day.
Glenn McGrath shook hands with players from both sides before play started on Saturday, with the majority of the crowd wearing something pink. Former England captain Andrew Strauss lost his wife Ruth last week after suffering from lung cancer. McGrath hopes England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will have a similar concept in the coming years.
McGrath said he was sad to hear last week of the death from a rare form of lung cancer of Ruth Strauss. In a statement issued last week, Strauss said his family would set up a foundation in memory of his wife to raise funds for cancer treatment and research. “I knew Ruth and Andrew, I played for (Strauss’s English county side) Middlesex apart from the battles we’ve had out in the middle for Australia v England,” McGrath said.
“I did really feel for him. I know how he feels and it’s a very sad time for him and his family and all we can say is he has our total support.
McGrath reported around $410,000 of his organization’s target of $2.1 million over the Test to fund 15 more breast care nurses for a year, had been raised after the first two days.