Harsha Bhogle praises PM Narendra Modi for inviting Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev to Australia

Cricket expert Harsha Bhogle on Wednesday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending an invitation to legends Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev to be part of his Australia tour, saying it reflects the role of cricket in the relationship between New Delhi and Canberra.

"Prime Minister Modi's decision to include Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev in his team to Australia shows the role of cricket in our relations," tweeted Bhogle.

Prime Minister Modi's decision to include Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev in his team to Australia shows the role of cricket in our relations

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 12, 2014

While businesses will align for commercial reasons, India and Australia can come closer together with our common love for cricket

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 12, 2014

Prime Minister Modi, who is scheduled to visit Australia later this week to attend the G-20 Summit, had earlier extended an invitation to cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev to accompany him during his visit. Both cricketers will be a part of Prime Minister Modi's official delegation for the tour and will accompany him to Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.

The Prime Minister will also be visiting the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which will host the 2015 World Cup final.

"Cricket is a shared passion of Australia & India. I thank PM @TonyAbbottMHR for hosting me at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground," Prime Minister Modi had tweeted last week.