An anti-ageing cream called cricket
The year is 1997. A child is protesting to not wear his maroon sweater, as mandated by his DAV school. It's the end of March, the sun is out, winter has largely receded, but mornings in North India still have a nip. After the unsuccessful agitation, the sweater-clad child walks to the bus stop. He has been following a Test match happening in a different time zone, which ended post his bedtime. There is no mobile internet to check the result, so his eyes are searching for a newspaper at the bus stop.advertisementThere is one. Kept, folded, on a wooden bench, whose owner has excused himself to smoke a beedi. The child skips past all the politics and local crime news, and lands on the second last page - the sports page. He freezes, as he reads the headline "India 81 all out". This is the famous test at Bridgetown, Barbados, where India failed to chase 120. The kid is numb, as he drags his soul-less body onto the bus.I have been watching cricket for 30 years now. As we age, our emotional investment in this game depreciates. Our heroes age, fade away, some get a farewell match, some don't, newer players come. There are some matches you just check the highlights of. Amazed at yourself by the disinterest, you think this is it. You have moved on.advertisement
But then, on a random weekday, fifth day of a Test match, two wickets down, 100 odd runs to get, a Shardul Thakur sends Harry Brook back to the pavilion, with a delivery straying down the leg side. Two wickets in two deliveries. You scream "OUT" like that child way back in 1996, who screamed when Venkatesh Prasad uprooted Aamir Sohail's stump. Cricket keeps us young. It is the best anti-aging cream.Cricketing heartbreaks are core memories. They stay longer than the wins - a product of Darwinian evolution. We are coded to retain the bad outcomes, the threats, so as to learn and survive longer. We cope differently.I remember those Sharjah debacles against Pakistan on Jummah days. I would walk back home (we didn't have cable TV) broken-hearted. And I would look at people on the street, the paani puri wala, the one girl gleefully having the thrilling paani-puri, an uncle negotiating the best rate of potatoes and the numerous other people calmly going about their business. I would wonder if their lives are better off not following cricket, not having to witness Aquib Javed running through the Indian tail. Why am I ruining my entire day for a non-material loss? The players, the board of cricket, the sponsors don't even care about my existence. Why should I be so emotionally invested? Why should I be sad over something that has zero bearing on my goals and ambitions in life? And then, a few days later. Sachin would hit a six over the head of Michael Kasprowicz, and we were all back with our cheerleader pom poms.advertisementIt's an incredible time warp, and we are all willingly part of it. An emotional roller-coaster we have been riding for decades. Each time we think we are too old for this ride, and we want to get down, it pulls us back in, with miracles like two centuries in the same Test match by Rishabh Pant. And then, on the very next day, presents a fresh heartbreak. India fails to defend 371. Only the second time ever. Each loss plumbs new depths, and each win sets new records.I was in Goa this time on the fifth day, when Stokes and Root were batting with some 50 odd runs to get. I was out for dinner in the immaculate Tanjore tiffin room, polishing off some brown rice with a divine Puli Kuzhambu.advertisementSuddenly, my phone conked off. Panic. I had to rush home. After some anxious moments with the valet, taking his own sweet time, I reached my place, plugged my phone in, waited patiently for it to boot-up, then typed in "Eng vs Ind" on the Google bar, waiting for the score to refresh, hoping to see an increment in the wickets' column.As the buffering circle rotated, it reminded me of that newspaper at the bus stop, 28 years ago. Same child-like anxiety. Same result. Maybe the same intensity of heartbreak. Sigh. Soon, another victory, another moment of magic, will pull us back onto this perennial roller-coaster. Till then, have faith in this anti-ageing cream called cricket.(Abhishek Asthana is the founder of a creative agency – GingerMonkey. He tweets as @GabbbarSingh)- Ends(Views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author)Tune InMust Watch
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
16 minutes ago
- United News of India
Priyadharshini Selladurai: From paddy fields of Thiruvarur to international football
Chiang Mai, Thailand June 28 (UNI) 'Raw talent' is how coach Crispin Chettri defines Priyadharshini Selladurai, the Indian women's national team's newest goalscorer. Priyadharshini scored two goals for 'Team India' in their 13-0 win over Mongolia on June 23, 2025, these were her first two goals in internatoinal football. As a loose ball landed right in front of her feet just inside the box, the 22-year-old midfielder's eyes lit up. She took a careful touch with her side-foot and laced it into the bottom corner to score India's 11th against Mongolia, but her first ever for the country. Priyadharshini added another goal later, as she tapped in Pyari Xaxa's cutback to take India's tally to 13, marking the Blue Tigresses' biggest win in AFC competitions. Two goals in three matches for the country, yet she hasn't yet made a first XI appearance in the Indian Women's League. That's not a statement you hear every day. But her hard work in training and performances in games have made Chettri fully agree with his decision to give her a first national team call-up. "Priyadharshini is one of our raw talents. I say that because she hasn't gotten many minutes in the IWL. But we still believed in her talent and gave her the opportunity to be part of our national team camp. And she's doing well here. However, playing in the IWL will help her a lot to mature as a player. I think we will have a very good number 10 in her, in the future," said Chettri. Priyadharshini has been part of Chettri's squad since he first took charge ahead of the Pink Ladies Cup in February. However, she made her debut in May, in the first friendly against Uzbekistan in Bengaluru. And just 24 days later came the first goal. "For a long time, I had been wondering if I would ever get selected for the Indian team. Now that I've been selected and scored a goal, I'm truly happy. I can't even express how I felt inside. I don't have the words to describe it. It was like a dream come true to score for the country," Priyadharshini shared. The dream grew gradually. From playing in the paddy fields of her small village of Savalakkaran in the Thiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu, to scoring goals for India in Chiang Mai, also a city known for paddy production, the journey, as is the case with most female footballers in India, wasn't easy. "I started playing football when I was in sixth class. I saw my seniors playing in the school, and decided to join them. I was selected for the Tamil Nadu team for the National School Games in Manipur in 2016, which was the first time I played outside my state," said the midfielder. That became the turning point in her life. Football could be taken seriously. She liked it, and she was getting good at it. But it took time for her parents to approve of her new passion. "I come from a place where girls aren't encouraged to pursue sports. This was like breaking a barrier for me." But Priyadharshini had the support of her school's physical education teacher, V Muthukumar, who actively went from door to door and convinced the parents of the village to allow their girls to play football. "We didn't have a proper football ground, so we played on paddy fields. My coach helped us a lot. He arranged the playing equipment and even gave me my first pair of football boots. Even today, when I go back, I train in the same paddy field," she said. What earned Priyadharshini her place in the national team were impressive performances for Tamil Nadu in the Rajmata Jijabai Trophy for the Senior Women's National Football Championship and the National Games. Before her international cap, the biggest highlight of her career remained the goal in the 2023 Senior Women's NFC final in Punjab, which won Tamil Nadu only their second-ever title. Playing alongside her idol Indumathi Kathiresan, she went on to represent her state in the 2024 and 2025 Rajmata Jijabai Trophy and the National Games in Gujarat 2024 and Uttarakhand 2025. At the club level, she signed for Gokulam Kerala FC in 2023-24 and made five appearances off the bench in the IWL that season. But Priyadharshini took the Kerala Women's League by storm, scoring 24 goals in the Malabarians' title win and ending up as the league's top scorer. Success with Tamil Nadu earned her a job as a block health officer at the government hospital in Alangudi, a town situated half an hour from her home. "As I was appointed under the sports quota, I get paid leave when I'm on national duty, like right now. For people back home, it's a matter of pride that I've become the first one to play for India from my village," said Priyadharshini. India will play Timor Leste (June 29 at 14:30 IST), Iraq (July 2 at 14:30 IST), and Thailand (July 5 at 18:00 IST) in the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers. All matches will be streamed live on Changsuek YouTube Channel and Thai Women's Football Facebook Page. UNI RKM
News18
20 minutes ago
- News18
What Is Pickleball And Why Are Indians Suddenly Hating On It?
Last Updated: Pickleball, a sport that combines tennis, table tennis, and badminton, has found a sudden rise in traction and gained online popularity on the Indian social media. Is it badminton? Is it tennis? Is it table tennis? Oh, it's pickleball! If you haven't been online recently, let us introduce you to pickleball. The sport has been gaining traction and popularity on Indian social media, though not always for flattering reasons. For one, netizens biased towards traditional tennis and badminton are having a hard time accepting that pickleball is a real sport. But why? Pickleball The game originated in 1965 in a home's backyard when Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum decided to entertain their families by improvising a game using ping-pong paddles, a plastic ball, and a badminton court with a lowered net. As the game slowly but surely gained popularity, it was accepted and formalised by the USA Pickleball Association in 1984. The refined, non-improvised version of pickleball that we see today isn't far from what its originators had put together to make their boring day an entertaining one. The widely played sport uses a cocktail of three global sports: tennis, table tennis, and badminton. Armed with a wooden (or composite material) paddle, the player smacks a perforated ball across a low net. The game aims to make rules 'less strict" for players. For one, the ball has to bounce once on each side of the court before volleying it. The court, which is the size of a badminton court, also has a non-volley zone near the net to avoid aggressive smashes. janta, there have been viral reels on Instagram showcasing the pickleball courts that have come up in the Delhi-NCR area and an hour of play, as claimed by some, could set you back by as much as Rs 800. What we can say with certainty is that the search for pickleball is in its peak era compared to the previous five years on Google Trends in India. Google Trends 'After seeing this up close I hereby declare pickleball is an absolute joke of a sport. The ball is no speed, no bounce, the paddle has no power. Playing catch catch with a toddler is more testing, (sic)" a user on X wrote. After seeing this up close I hereby declare pickleball is an absolute joke of a sport. The ball is no speed, no bounce, the paddle has no power. Playing catch catch with a toddler is more testing. — Aman (@AmanHasNoName_2) June 26, 2025 'pickleball is the matcha of sports," wrote another user who goes by the handle @avgspacelover on social media platform 'X'. 'I've played tennis, badminton, and squash for years. Then I played Pickleball a few weeks ago. I have no idea how this is even a real sport. It requires almost no physical fitness or agility. I was dominating without even playing it before," user @LifeMathMoney reviewed the game after trying it for the first time. Do we have the trend's origin? 'Pickleball slander on TL? Apparently some fellas in Bengaluru are playing it for 'networking purposes"," quipped @ugach_kahitarii. Something is better than nothing. Hey, at least you are off your couch and being active. 'pickleball is actually very cool because it is fun to play, and has gotten thousands of people off their couches. people hating on a fun little game are either pseudo-purists of another equally stupid but more challenging racket sport or just contrarians without a cause, (sic)" came @paarugsethi in sport's defense. 'People hating on pickleball bcz it is an easy sport don't realise that at least some people have started doing physical activity bcz of this. People in 30s, 40s and 50s playing again bcz of availability and ease of playing. Something is better than nothing! (sic)" 'Reminder for haters: Old person's sport aka Pickleball burns more calories and keeps you fitter than being a keyboard warrior. Pickleball is slow. Yeah try playing low and see if your back and quads don't get a pull," chimed in another. Indian Celebrities Spotted The popular Indian couple Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma were spotted in May playing pickleball. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma playing pickleball. 😄 — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 21, 2025 Are you planning to try pickleball, or will the purist in you join the social media criticism of the sport? About the Author Anurag Verma Anurag Verma, News Editor at works independently for the Viral section. Bollywood, Cricket, Science, Tech, YouTube, Reddit, Meme Origins and everything Pop-culture are his forte. He covers More News18's viral page features trending stories, videos, and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Pickleball Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 28, 2025, 12:01 IST News viral What Is Pickleball And Why Are Indians Suddenly Hating On It?
Hindustan Times
24 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
‘You took Shardul Thakur in the team and didn't give him ball for 40 overs': Ashwin points finger at Shubman Gill
It took 39 overs for Shubman Gill to throw the ball to Shardul Thakur in England's first innings at Headingley. He was taken off after three uneventful overs only to return to the attack 22 overs later from a different end. His second spell was slightly better as he conceded 15 runs compared to the 23 he had leaked in his first three overs but he never looked like taking a wicket. The manner in which Gill used Shardul did not indicate that India even believed he could take a wicket. 6 overs for 38 runs can not be and should not be the figures of your fourth seamer when the opposition has scored 465. Shardul Thakur celebrates taking the wicket of England's Ben Duckett(Action Images via Reuters) There was not much improvement even in the second innings. He got introduced into the attack a tad early - in the 19th over - but ended up bowling only 10 overs even as India struggled to make inroads on Day 5. Some may argue that he got a couple of overs only because he got those two lucky breaks in the second session. Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin said the ideal time to introduce Shardul Thakur into the attack was when Joe Root was batting, as he has a decent match-up against the former England captain, having dismissed him twice in 2021. "You have taken Shardul Thakur in the team and didn't give him a ball in the first 40 overs. And Joe Root was batting. And Shardul has a very decent match-up against Joe Root. So, if Shardul Thakur's role is not less, then I genuinely rate Shardul as a cricketer," Ashwin said in his YouTube channel. Ashwin said Shardul needs to be better utilised in order for him to make an impact in the match. "He has caught Ben Duckett and Harry Brook. He can make things happen. But he has to use them at the right time. But if this is going to be the way he is going to be used, I don't think he is really making any sense. Because he has to be given the ball for him to make a difference. He didn't bowl that much in the first 40 overs." Ashwin said it is unfair to criticise Shardul because he didn't get enough opportunities at the right time during the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, which India lost by five wickets despite putting in a good batting performance in both innings. "He didn't bowl that much in the second innings either. Obviously, much more than the first innings. So, his role was very limited and I think it is very unfair to raise an argument on what he did," Ashwin added. If India decide to go in with a proper bowler, then Shardul's place in the side seems shaky. Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav is the frontrunner to replace him in India's XI. Another factor that could dictate India's playing XI in the second Test in Birmingham is Jasprit Bumrah's presence. After bowling 44 overs in the first Test, it is unlikely that Bumrah would play in Birmingham. "The Indian team will go for the second Test. Obviously, Bumrah can play or not play. But the Indian team will think that Bumrah's life is at stake in this test match. He won't play two Test matches. This is our best chance. Batting was going on. Bumrah bowled well. He was available. If we could have taken the lead 1-0 here, how? In the next test match, it will affect you," Ashwin said.
