Temple run

Rohit Mahajan

Southampton, June 21

What would an Indian mom do if she found out that her son had got into the national cricket squad? With a majority of Indians — over 99 percent — identifying with one religion or the other, it’s no surprise that Rishabh Pant’s mom made a beeline for the temple when she found that her son had got into the Indian squad. “When I was called as back-up for Shikhi bhai (Shikhar Dhawan), my mom was with me and I told her before anyone else. She went straight to the temple… She was very happy,” Pant said in a chat with Yuzvendra Chahal, the jester-interviewer in the Indian squad.

Pant had been tipped as a candidate to make the Indian squad in April, but being left out had left him crestfallen yet determined. “When I wasn’t selected (for the World Cup in the original squad), I thought I did not do things right and I became even more positive,” Pant said. “I worked harder when I was not selected. Then I did well in the IPL and kept practising.”

“As a kid, I always dreamt of playing at least one World Cup and wanted to do well for the country. I am very happy with the call-up,” Pant added.

So, Pant’s mom went to the temple in a gesture of thanksgiving — and what of Dhawan’s mom? Poor Dhawan is out of the World Cup despite a scintillating 100 against Australia. How cruel is that? True it is that there’s no justice in the world, and a batsman must suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.

ICC-UN united for kids

Kids drive the game — children are always put in the centre of attention when any fun and promotional activities are organised in this country. Yesterday the sounds of joyous cries and laughter of children rang through the field here during a promotional event. Even India captain Virat Kohli wanted to be part of the event. “This brought back memories of playing the game as a child,” Kohli later said 

It sounds good, then, that the ICC is organising a fundraiser for children, in association with the United Nations, during the India-England match, to be played in Birmingham on June 30.