Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Lost flair: On India and its Test cricket

Lost flair: On India and its Test cricket

India is no longer (अब नहीं, अब और नहीं) at its best (अपने सर्वोत्तम रूप में, अपने चरम पर) in Test cricket

This Independence Day, India would launch (शुरू करना, आरंभ करना) a fresh quest (खोज, तलाश) for relevance (प्रासंगिकता, महत्त्व) in Test cricket. Having lost at home (in one’s own country; on home turf, domestically, on native soil, locally) to New Zealand and South Africa in the past (अतीत में, पहले), Shubman Gill’s men no longer sport (to display or show a particular quality, appearance, or characteristic; display, exhibit, show, demonstrate) an invincible (अजेय, अपराजेय) air (aura, impression, appearance, atmosphere) in their backyard (home ground, home turf, domestic region, native soil). Now having flown past Palk Strait (a strait between the Tamil Nadu state of India and the Jaffna District of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka), the two-Test series commencing against Sri Lanka at Galle on Saturday offers India a chance to revive (restore to life, consciousness, vigor, or strength; revitalize, rejuvenate, resuscitate, reawaken) its flagging (declining, fading, weakening, waning) fortunes (भाग्य, किस्मत) in the ICC World Test Championship (a league competition for Test cricket run by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to determine the premier Test-playing nation. It spans two years per cycle, comprising a multi-series league stage followed by a single five-day final between the top two teams. For instance, the current 2025–2027 cycle runs from June 17, 2025, to June 13, 2027). Currently, India is placed fifth and Sri Lanka sixth in the rankings, which reflects (दर्शाना, संकेत देना) the middling (औसत, साधारण) form (प्रदर्शन का स्तर, वर्तमान स्थिति) of these two outfits (team, squad, group, unit). The Men in Blue have done reasonably (उचित रूप से, काफी हद तक) well in limited overs cricket but when clad (clothed or dressed in a particular way; dressed, attired, garbed, robed) in whites the results have been erratic (unpredictable, inconsistent, irregular, unstable). India, though (हालांकि, फिर भी), will draw some heart from the way it held host (a person, place, or organization that holds and organizes an event to which others are invited; organizer, venue, home team, presenter) England to a 2-2 draw last year; home triumphs (a great victory or achievement; victory, win, success, conquest) against the West Indies and Afghanistan were expected outcomes (result, consequence, conclusion, aftermath). Against their rivals (opponent, competitor, challenger, adversary) from the Emerald Isle (a poetic reference to a lush, green island nation, used contextually here to describe Sri Lanka; lush island, green nation, tropical country, island nation), the Indians will be up against (facing, confronting, encountering, tackling) spin on pitches tailor-made (customized, custom-built, ideally suited) for the purveyors (practitioner, exponent, provider, specialist) of the slow art (a creative reference to the skill of spin bowling in cricket, relying on flight and rotation rather than pure speed; spin bowling, slow bowling). History reveals that Sri Lankan spinners like Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis at times (sometimes or on occasions; occasionally, sometimes, periodically, intermittently) have ambushed (make a surprise attack on someone from a concealed position, or catch off guard; surprise, trap, blindside, waylay) Indian batters. Left-arm spinner Prabath Jayasuriya needs to be countered (act in opposition to; respond, oppose, resist, thwart) at Galle and Colombo. Indian batsmanship (the skill or art of batting in cricket; batting skill, batting technique, willow-work) has declined against spin over the years.

Coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Gill are shepherding (guide, lead, steer, direct) a unit dealing with transition (change, shift, transformation, evolution) in Tests. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, and R. Ashwin have retired. While the selectors overlooked (fail to notice or consider someone for a position or role; ignore, neglect, disregard, pass over) pacer (a fast bowler in cricket; fast bowler, quick bowler, speedster) Mohammed Shami, the injury-enforced (injury-driven, forced by injury, injury-mandated, health-dictated) absence (non-attendance, missing, lack, non-presence) of Jasprit Bumrah is a blow (a sudden shock, disappointment, or setback; setback, disappointment, shock, misfortune). Much would rest on (rely on, depend on, hinge on, rely heavily on) Mohammed Siraj leading a raw (inexperienced, untrained, unpolished, untested) pace attack, and spinner Kuldeep Yadav should get the necessary support. Veteran (experienced, seasoned, long-serving, old-hand) Ravindra Jadeja and seasoned (experienced, veteran, established, proficient) batter K.L. Rahul remain the few links (connection, tie, bond, attachment) to a time when India was at its best in Tests. Maverick (unorthodox, unconventional, or independent-minded; unconventional, unorthodox, nonconformist, individualistic) Rishabh Pant could play a key role (to be an important or crucial part in a particular situation or outcome; be instrumental, be crucial, play a major part, be significant) while the batting will lean on (depend on someone for support and encouragement; rely on, depend on, bank on, count on) Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rahul. Under Dhananjaya de Silva, Sri Lanka would be hoping to spring (to present or produce something suddenly and unexpectedly; produce, generate, trigger, cause) an upset (an unexpected result or situation, especially in a sports competition; surprise, shock, subversion, turnaround). With a few good batters such as (for example or of a kind that; like, for instance, namely, indicating) Dinesh Chandimal, and some keen (sharp, astute, acute, perceptive) spinners, the host would aim to punch above its weight and humble (humiliate, defeat, crush, bring down) the neighbour (adjacent nation, bordering country, adjoining state, bordering nation). This happened first when Kapil Dev’s men visited in 1985, and has been replicated (repeat, reproduce, copy, duplicate) a few times over the last four decades (a period of ten years; ten years, ten-year period). For India, the latest overseas (in or to a foreign country, especially one across the sea; foreign, international, abroad, off-shore) venture (a risky or daring journey or undertaking; undertaking, enterprise, expedition, project) presents an appraisal-window (a specific period or opportunity to evaluate or assess performance; evaluation period, assessment timeframe, review phase, testing period) to analyse the likes of (someone or something of a particular type; similar to, such as, people like, equivalent to) Auqib Nabi, Gurnoor Brar, Manav Suthar and Saransh Jain. The coming months would offer tougher scrutiny (critical observation or examination; inspection, examination, analysis, investigation), especially with Australia turning up in early 2027. India has to find its winning flair now.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.flair (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिभा, कौशल
English Meaning - a natural ability, talent, or stylishness; talent, aptitude, knack, panache.

2.no longer (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - अब नहीं, अब और नहीं
English Meaning - not any more or not currently; not anymore, nevermore, no more, discontinued.

3.at its best (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - अपने सर्वोत्तम रूप में, अपने चरम पर
English Meaning - performing or functioning at the highest level of quality or skill; in top form, peak condition, optimum, unmatched.

4.launch (verb)

Hindi Meaning - शुरू करना, आरंभ करना
English Meaning - start, begin, initiate, commence.

5.quest (noun)

Hindi Meaning - खोज, तलाश
English Meaning - a long or arduous search for something; search, pursuit, hunt, expedition.

6.relevance (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रासंगिकता, महत्त्व
English Meaning -significance, importance, pertinence, applicability.

7.in the past (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - अतीत में, पहले
English Meaning - previously, formerly, historically, beforehand.

8.invincible (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अजेय, अपराजेय
English Meaning - too powerful to be defeated or overcome; unbeatable, unconquerable, indomitable, unassailable.

9.fortune (noun)

Hindi Meaning - भाग्य, किस्मत
English Meaning - the success or failure of a person or entity over time; fate, destiny, luck, circumstance.

10.reflect (verb)

Hindi Meaning - दर्शाना, संकेत देना
English Meaning - indicate, show, display, demonstrate.

11.middling (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - औसत, साधारण
English Meaning - average, mediocre, moderate, ordinary.

12.form (noun)

Hindi Meaning - प्रदर्शन का स्तर, वर्तमान स्थिति
English Meaning - the current level of performance or condition of a person, team, or thing.

13.reasonably (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - उचित रूप से, काफी हद तक
English Meaning - to a moderate or acceptable degree; fairly, moderately, quite, adequately.

14.though (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - हालांकि, फिर भी
English Meaning - despite the fact that; however, nevertheless, yet, nonetheless.

15.hold (verb)

Hindi Meaning - रोकना, सीमित रखना
English Meaning - successfully resist or restrict an opponent to a particular outcome; restrict, contain, restrain, limit.

16.clad (adjective)

English Meaning - clothed or dressed in a particular way; dressed, attired, garbed, robed.

17.revive (verb)

English Meaning - restore to life, consciousness, vigor, or strength; revitalize, rejuvenate, resuscitate, reawaken.

18.at home (phrase)

English Meaning - in one’s own country; on home turf, domestically, on native soil, locally.

19.sport (verb)

English Meaning - to display or show a particular quality, appearance, or characteristic; display, exhibit, show, demonstrate.

20.air (noun)

English Meaning - aura, impression, appearance, atmosphere.

21.backyard (noun)

English Meaning - home ground, home turf, domestic region, native soil.

22.fly past (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - travel over, cross, traverse, fly over.

23.Palk Strait (noun)

English Meaning - a strait between the Tamil Nadu state of India and the Jaffna District of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka.

24.flagging (adjective)

English Meaning - declining, fading, weakening, waning.

25.ICC World Test Championship (noun)

English Meaning - a league competition for Test cricket run by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to determine the premier Test-playing nation. It spans two years per cycle, comprising a multi-series league stage followed by a single five-day final between the top two teams. For instance, the current 2025–2027 cycle runs from June 17, 2025, to June 13, 2027.

26.outfit (noun)

English Meaning - team, squad, group, unit.

27.erratic (adjective)

English Meaning - unpredictable, inconsistent, irregular, unstable.

28.turn up (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - arrive or put in an appearance; arrive, appear, show up, attend.

29.host (noun)

English Meaning - a person, place, or organization that holds and organizes an event to which others are invited; organizer, venue, home team, presenter.

30.triumph (noun)

English Meaning - a great victory or achievement; victory, win, success, conquest.

31.outcome (noun)

English Meaning - result, consequence, conclusion, aftermath.

32.rival (noun)

English Meaning - opponent, competitor, challenger, adversary.

33.Emerald Isle (noun)

English Meaning - a poetic reference to a lush, green island nation, used contextually here to describe Sri Lanka; lush island, green nation, tropical country, island nation.

34.up against (phrase)

English Meaning - facing, confronting, encountering, tackling.

35.tailor-made (adjective)

English Meaning - customized, custom-built, ideally suited.

36.purveyor (noun)

English Meaning - practitioner, exponent, provider, specialist.

37.slow art (noun)

English Meaning - a creative reference to the skill of spin bowling in cricket, relying on flight and rotation rather than pure speed; spin bowling, slow bowling.

38.at times (phrase)

English Meaning - sometimes or on occasions; occasionally, sometimes, periodically, intermittently.

39.ambush (verb)

English Meaning - make a surprise attack on someone from a concealed position, or catch off guard; surprise, trap, blindside, waylay.

40.counter (verb)

English Meaning - act in opposition to; respond, oppose, resist, thwart.

41.batsmanship (noun)

English Meaning - the skill or art of batting in cricket; batting skill, batting technique, willow-work.

42.shepherd (verb)

English Meaning - guide, lead, steer, direct.

43.transition (noun)

English Meaning - change, shift, transformation, evolution.

44.overlook (verb)

English Meaning - fail to notice or consider someone for a position or role; ignore, neglect, disregard, pass over.

45.pacer (noun)

English Meaning - a fast bowler in cricket; fast bowler, quick bowler, speedster.

46.injury-enforced (adjective)

English Meaning - injury-driven, forced by injury, injury-mandated, health-dictated.

47.absence (noun)

English Meaning - non-attendance, missing, lack, non-presence.

48.blow (noun)

English Meaning - a sudden shock, disappointment, or setback; setback, disappointment, shock, misfortune.

49.rest on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - rely on, depend on, hinge on, rely heavily on.

50.raw (adjective)

English Meaning - inexperienced, untrained, unpolished, untested.

51.veteran (adjective)

English Meaning - experienced, seasoned, long-serving, old-hand.

52.seasoned (adjective)

English Meaning - experienced, veteran, established, proficient.

53.link (noun)

English Meaning - connection, tie, bond, attachment.

54.maverick (adjective)

English Meaning - unorthodox, unconventional, or independent-minded; unconventional, unorthodox, nonconformist, individualistic.

55.play a key role (phrase)

English Meaning - to be an important or crucial part in a particular situation or outcome; be instrumental, be crucial, play a major part, be significant.

56.lean on (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - depend on someone for support and encouragement; rely on, depend on, bank on, count on.

57.spring (verb)

English Meaning - to present or produce something suddenly and unexpectedly; produce, generate, trigger, cause.

58.upset (noun)

English Meaning - an unexpected result or situation, especially in a sports competition; surprise, shock, subversion, turnaround.

59.such as (phrase)

English Meaning - for example or of a kind that; like, for instance, namely, indicating.

60.keen (adjective)

English Meaning - sharp, astute, acute, perceptive.

61.punch above one’s weight (phrase)

English Meaning - to perform beyond one’s perceived ability or class; overachieve, exceed expectations, outperform, excel.

62.humble (verb)

English Meaning - humiliate, defeat, crush, bring down.

63.neighbour (noun)

English Meaning - adjacent nation, bordering country, adjoining state, bordering nation.

64.replicate (verb)

English Meaning - repeat, reproduce, copy, duplicate.

65.decade (noun)

English Meaning - a period of ten years; ten years, ten-year period.

66.overseas (adjective)

English Meaning - in or to a foreign country, especially one across the sea; foreign, international, abroad, off-shore.

67.venture (noun)

English Meaning - a risky or daring journey or undertaking; undertaking, enterprise, expedition, project.

68.appraisal-window (noun)

English Meaning - a specific period or opportunity to evaluate or assess performance; evaluation period, assessment timeframe, review phase, testing period.

69.the likes of (phrase)

English Meaning - someone or something of a particular type; similar to, such as, people like, equivalent to.

70.scrutiny (noun)

English Meaning - critical observation or examination; inspection, examination, analysis, investigation.