But he returned in the second innings to make a brave 50 that saved the game. It was with this hard-earned reputation that the honest craftsman, the “common man” of Indian cricket, would enter the World Cup. It was Sharma who kickstarted the campaign for India with a man-of-the-match performance in India’s first game of the tournament — against who else but West Indies. That Yashpal-triggered win had raised hopes among the players, a majority of whom had initially looked at the World Cup as a tourist jaunt. And that was his true achievement: To send the message that the common man can through sheer grit and skill do things that seem out of reach.

Source: Indian Express July 14, 2021 22:07 UTC