Joe Root and company performed the gesture to honor world war veteran Captain Sir Tom Moore, who died earlier this week at the age of 100. On the opening day of the first Test against India at Chennai's Chepauk Stadium on Friday, England's cricket players wore black armbands. Root said in a statement: "It's a mark of respect for someone who has made such a big contribution to English cricket and we would be doing exactly the same thing if it was someone else." Moore played 22 Tests for England between 1907 and 1911, scoring more than 1000 runs with a average of 50. He also took 10 wickets with a best of 3-40. He lived through some dramatic times - the Lord's test match against Australia in 1908 when he was involved in a incident with Charles Bannerman where both men were banned from further play after fighting on the pitch; and the infamous Black Week in 1910 when the five major cricketing countries went into decline due to the death of their leading players including Moore. He helped bring back cricket to England after its collapse during the first World War, but died in 1936 aged only 37 years old. Root is expected to wear the armband throughout the remainder of the series. India won the toss and decided to bat first which meant that Root's armband stayed in the dressing room.