Editor: Mohd Irshad
The Indian cricket team’s brilliant performance on the tour of Australia, where they beat the hosts 2-1 in the Test series to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, has earned them plenty of praise from all.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, reacting to the win, told The Quint, “It was the stuff that Hollywood blockbusters are made of: David knocks out Goliath at the Gabba.”
What Tharoor Said
This ‘New India’ is a team that, when it’s struck down, stands up. Beaten, bruised and abused in this series, their underlying resilience and hunger makes them hard to keep down.
Against their rivals’ accomplishments and experience, they put forward their energy and intensity. Against cockiness and over-confidence, they offered grit and guts. Count the blow after blow Pujara took on his body, without flinching.
Instead of the diffidence of youngsters over-awed by the occasion, this ‘New India’ said it was not afraid to take on the world. Watch debutant Washington Sundar taking on the short ball and clobbering superstar Cummins into the stands.
When they were crippled with injury, they showed the guts to hold on for a draw. When fit, they discarded talk of a draw and went decisively for a win.
Tagore dreamed of an India “where the mind is without fear and the head is held high”. This ‘New India’ embodies that dream.
And ‘New India’ revelled in the leadership of stand-in captain Rahane, who moulded a team of newbies into lions and turned no-hopers into winners in his understated manner, without ever raising his voice or flaunting his authority. When feted he gave all credit to his team, asking them to join him at the winners’ podium and handing the trophy to the team’s most junior member. That's the mark of a great captain: He makes his team stakeholders in, and owners of, his greatest triumphs.
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