Author: Sharmistha Gooptu

Sharmistha Gooptu I started my interview with eminent obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr. Mukesh Gupta, asking if mental health was more spoken and heeded since the pandemic, when it became a household topic of discussion. Dr. Gupta responded saying, “No — in fact, in the medical fraternity it has been a plank for the longer term”. According to him, his patients, whether new mothers, or expecting ones, are counselled by a robust support system that tracks signs of postpartum depression and tries to create a buffer outside of the immediate family. Likewise, Dr. Reema Sircar, senior IVF consultant, mentioned mental health…

A chance to cover an overseas cricket tour, like the just concluded Indian adventure in England, is a privilege. A privilege because, like the Indian cricket team, the accredited media persons travelling as part of the contingent are also representing their country – shaping the discourse and the critical lens through which, for instance, this watershed tour for a young team will be viewed by the public and posterity. During this one-and-half-month tour, the visiting media persons became an integral part of a cricket culture that we all not only soaked up, but also etched and formed with our presence.…

Sharmistha Gooptu in London I eat my words. Yesterday I had written in my diary that this is a game of cricket and not a Bollywood film, so magic doesn’t happen in the last half hour, nor do a single human move mountains! And today as I sat writing the name of God almighty as many times as I could on the word app in my phone, a miracle blessed the Indian side and magic did happen. And a single human in the form of Mohammed, a Siraj, carried the side to victory in this Test on his shoulders. Prasidh…

Sharmistha Gooptu in London In a parallel universe of Hindi cinema — best if it’s a Salman Khan or Sunny Deol offering — where single humans can move mountains, the tea break would have had an Amar (say Akash Deep), Akbar (say Mohammad Siraj) and Anthony (say Washington Sundar) pray together. Or maybe they would give blood together to the failed morale of their team. And Shubman Gill aptly stands as a kind of failed father figure, who failed to keep his family together. And striding towards the boundary line as the ground staff roll away the pitch covers is…

Sharmistha Gooptu in London The Indian supporters and fans at the Oval this Saturday are getting their money’s worth and every bit of the cricket they came to watch. With the beer flowing fast and the scent of fish and chips wafting in from the stands towards the outdoor media seating, the fans were observed erupting in joy at every dropped catch by England, when Akash Deep got his fifty before lunch, and then Yashasvi Jaiswal his hundred some time into the post-lunch session. Super fan Sudhir is among them, sounding the conch every time the match seems to take…

Sharmistha Gooptu in London A Test series is often a test of nerves. Like the present India versus England series, they can be hard-fought and hard-played, while also generating a lot of powerful emotions. However, there are moments during such competitions when most of those who watch, write or commentate on the game pause in unison to remember, honour, and to pledge support. Like today at the Oval, the second day of the last Test, it is ‘A Day for Thorpey’. It is a day in support of mental health and to remember England cricketer Graham Thorpe, who took his…

Sharmistha Gooptu in London Rain, rain and raining… We were just finishing our lunch — a few of us who had taken our plates early and were following the match on the press lounge television. A predicted storm alert had everyone looking skyward since the time they were up this morning. Pitch covers came on and off within a matter of minutes right before the start of the match, but drizzle it was which soon stopped and the match got underway. Even half-an-hour back it had seemed to be clearing up, with a spot of the sun out through the…

Sharmistha Gooptu in London The day after the Gambhir-Fortis blow-up… We are at The Oval, watching the Indian team warm-up after the captain’s press conference. As expected, a few questions were directed at Shubman Gill about yesterday’s episode where the pitch curator had instructed the Indian team members to maintain a 2.5m distance from the pitch, resulting in Gambhir’s outburst. A spot of a drizzle had led the ground staff, led by Lee Fortis, to cover the pitch and lower the practice nets. But that was done with, and the full Indian side, along with head coach Gautam Gambhir,…

Sharmistha Gooptu in London This morning as the Indian players alighted from the team bus for the optional practice starting 9.30 am (BST), those present, along with the support staff members, smiled and waved at us as we stood by the players entrance. It was expected after the team’s performance in Manchester. Arshdeep Singh, Shardul Thakur, and the entire media contingent, re-assembling at The Oval, were upbeat and we walked over to the media centre to take a look at the press box which will be home us for the next few days. The lighter mood was however surpassed by…

Sharmistha Gooptu in Manchester When I was leaving the stadium yesterday after the day’s play, having watched a contented Shubman Gill and KL Rahul walk back to the pavilion, I witnessed the jubilation of fans. The game was far from won, England was still quite ahead, and today was going to be India’s challenge. Yet, I left the media centre to the loud beating of drums somewhere in the stands. Incidentally, despite all predictions and supporters hoping for rain to become India’s saviour, there was no rain — not even in the night as far as we could tell. When…