Hyderabad 2018: West Indies in three days and a wander off the field

Press Box 2020

An unusual Test match for the Press Box 2020 podcast. Bharat Sundaresan’s final Test in India as an Indian reporter — he would move to Australia and follow that team soon after. And Anand Vasu was out of the press box, thanks to issues with accreditation. The two stayed together in Hyderabad, perhaps for the first time, this Test and for a change the podcast looks at what goes on behind the scenes in a journalist’s life.

Bharat talks about things outside of control and how the life of a sports journalist might look like a constant party while never really feeling like one.

The cricket itself only lasted three days. The West Indies did not put up much of a fight and the series was remembered for Prithvi Shaw making his debut and scoring runs. Before the Test Bharat spoke to his old mate Devendra Bishoo about his Indian roots, the manner in which he practices Hinduism and explains why he kept that story away from his mother!

Bharat dissects the rivalry between the islands in the West Indies. While the neighbouring islands may not have the kind of tensions India has with its neighbours, the dynamics of the Caribbean are fascinating in their own way.

Bharat talks about four member of one batch of one school in Barbados being in the Test team together and the allegations of favouritism towards Barbados. How does Jason Holder deal with this? Can he shake it off? Bharat traces his rise to the captaincy, explores the consistency in the cricketer and his character off the field.

Anand traces the differences between being at the ground, where you can take a wider view and look at what you choose, in comparison to television where you only see what is shown to you.

And finally Bharat recalls when he first met Umesh Yadav, who walked around the streets of Bangalore unrecognised!

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