President Kovind not to attend India-Australia T20I in Melbourne

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind's much-anticipated visit to witness India-Australia T20 match live at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) has been cancelled.

The President was scheduled to drop in for a short while at the India-Australia T20 game at the MCG.

"While he will only watch a few minutes of play at the MCG #PresidentKovind will become the first President of India to see an international cricket match live abroad. Coincidentally Australia was the first country the Indian cricket team toured after Independence, in 1947-48," he had tweeted earlier.

The men in blue will be locking horns with the host nation with the hope of registering a win in the match.

Lately, President Kovind seemed to have cricket on his mind. In almost all his speeches since he landed in Australia, he has used the cricket metaphor quite liberally, drawing applause from the appreciative audience which included the Prime Minister of Australia.

He warmly said that the Australian cricket team was a favourite with Indians especially when they competed for the Ashes but only not when playing against India.

"They say cricket is a metaphor for life, but it is also a metaphor for business," expanding that those Australian cricketers who understand local conditions in India adapt to it and don't "fall for spin" are the ones who succeed. He went on to welcome Australian businesses to India saying "the pitch is ready."

Currently, India are trailing the ongoing three-match T20I series 0-1. The game is a must-win for India if they want to their winning hopes alive in the series.