17 Comments
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Ajay Kelkar's avatar

Your writing makes the grace in sport come alive , and the way you shape the players persona is riveting. I love sport but I read you also to learn how to write.

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Sarthak Dev's avatar

That's such high praise, Ajay :) Thank you so much!

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sunil kumar banerjee's avatar

Sohini writes about women and sport in "the Day I became a runner ",a celebration of an arduous struggle of all women in the field of sport and their stellar achievements.She would be most pleased reading your piece coming from a male if she hasn't already.

You'd be happy to know that your girls have done well and made all including the naysayers proud.The wheel is turning.

The irony is in a country that has the least respect or understanding of what women are it can happen - the extraordinary miracle.

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Sarthak Dev's avatar

Thank you! :) I love Sohini's book. And indeed, the team has done incredibly well.

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Shambhavi ♥‿♥'s avatar

AGED SO WELL!! Cant wait for your next piece, we're champions!

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Is this anything?'s avatar

Your writing makes my heart soar, Sarthak. As for today, I will try not to spam. But I think I will fail.

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Sarthak Dev's avatar

Hahah, thanks man. For the compliment and the reminder to mute my notifications xD

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Maanav's avatar

Oh mannnnn. I can’t wait.

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Sarthak Dev's avatar

Same! Hyped up.

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RAHUL YOGESH PAI's avatar

Excellent preview of perhaps the most influential Women's game of this decade, Sarthak. Keeping all fingers of my hands and toes crossed for probable glory🤞

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Sarthak Dev's avatar

Thank you! Fingers crossed.

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Chirag's avatar

That's fair. I've followed your writing through the tournament, and I really appreciated how you have given the team its own space. So the mention of Lord's 1983 at the end threw me off a little bit.

My own perspective is a little different. Lord's 1983 was a fluke. Benson and Hedges 1985 is less spoken about, and was just as pivotal, especially how convincing India's victories were through the tournament - and was televised throughout. So that victory was actually what got the country believe that it was possible to be world class! It would be an interesting "sliding doors" experiment where Viv Richards isn't caught, the Windies score 184/4. I still think India wins in Melbourne 1985.

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Sarthak Dev's avatar

Lord's 1983 was more than just the game and the result. NKP Salve wasn't allowed to enter Lord's. When India came back, the BCCI didn't have cash to gift the players. Lata Mangeshkar had to arrange a concert, do it for free, for the BCCI to make some money and pass over as awards. Within four years, India was hosting a World Cup.

*That* is Lord's 1983. It changed Indian cricket. And it made Sachin and Sourav and Rahul and Anil and VVS want to play cricket. There is a mention of 1983 above as well, that points exactly this out.

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Chirag's avatar

Not denying it at all. Like I said, it's *my* perspective, from what I remember from that era.

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Chirag's avatar

Win or lose, this isn't Lord's 1983, this isn't NaMotera 2023. We shouldn't disrespect them by looking for parallels with the men's team. The team deserves its own path, its own story and its own lens from which it should be viewed

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Sarthak Dev's avatar

Lord's 1983 was a pivotal moment in Indian cricket history. Mumbai 2025 will be too. Mumbai 2025 will be tomorrow's reference point. It's not disrespect to draw from previous occasions.

Not that I need to justify myself, but I'd assume the rest of the essay and the coverage through the World Cup should be evidence enough that, at no point is this team discussed through men's cricket. Unfortunate that it didn't come through enough for you.

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Is this anything?'s avatar

Wow.

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