Hindi English Translation || Editorial || The second-best: on India and the World Test Championship final

The second-best: on India and the World Test Championship final

India, after a hectic (restless, very busy, very active, frantic, frenzied, feverish) IPL, seemed unprepared for the WTC final

India’s title drought (सुखा, अकाल) in ICC events continued as the dust finally settled at London’s Oval. Sunday’s 209-run defeat against Australia in the World Test Championship final meant that India yet again finished as second best. In 2021, New Zealand had humbled (नम्र करना) Virat Kohli’s men in the summit clash (final match) that concluded at Southampton. Cut to the present (come (back) to the present time), it was Rohit Sharma’s men who suffered (experience, endure, undergo, go through, be subjected to) a loss; cumulatively (संचयी), it extended India’s long gap in winning ICC silverware (trophy/cup made of silver), with the last title being the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. If South Africa choked ((in sports) fail to perform at a crucial time of a game/contest due to tension) in the past at vital moments, India seems to be the natural successor (उत्तराधिकारी) in doing the hard yards (a great amount deal of effort or hard work, specially in playing a sport) while always being short of breath (सांस की कमी) at the finish line. This time however the hopes were centred on (केंद्र पर) India’s better record against Australia, both at home (in one’s own country) and away. There was a recency bias (नवीनता पूर्वाग्रह) at play (being something that helps produce a result) too as since the 2018-19 season, India always prevailed (प्रचलित होना) over Australia in the longer format. However, Australia with a better record in ICC events starting from winning the 1987 World Cup at Eden Gardens, proved too tough an opponent. India’s pursuit (quest, search, chase; activity) of a miracle on the fifth day wilted (lose energy, lose confidence, lose strength, lose vigour, flop, droop, languish) as a poor first innings and a bowling unit struggling to strike had left Rohit’s men with too steep (sharp slope; unreasonably high) a mountain to climb.

Having flown in from the Indian Premier League, the Indian Test squad was under-cooked (underdone/cooked insufficiently; figuratively means “not performed well enough”). To shed (remove, discard, get rid of, throw out, drop, do away with, let go, dismiss) the Twenty20’s frenzied (क्रोधित, उन्मत्त) spirit and slip (get into, change into) into a Test’s battle of attrition (संघर्ष की लड़ाई) proved tough. The think-tank, influenced (प्रभावित करना, मार्गदर्शन) by overcast skies and some grass on the surface, stepped in with four seamers and the lone spinner in Ravindra Jadeja, while off-spinner R. Ashwin was inexplicably (अकथनीय रूप से, दुर्गमता से) overlooked (miss, reject, dismiss, ignore, discount, disregard). It was a selection call that went awry as the weather stayed clear and the surface offered enough for both speedsters and spinners as evident in the performances of Aussies Scott Boland and Nathan Lyon. While Steve Smith and Travis Head posted hundreds, the Indian batters flickered (a small sign/indication of something (that does not last very long); unsteady movement) despite Ajinkya Rahane’s fine show in the first outing (innings (in a test match)). That Rohit, Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rahane are all on the wrong side of (older than the age mentioned) the thirties has dragged in (खींचना, घसीटना) ageism and transition (संक्रमण, परिवर्तन) blues (उदासी, अवसाद). Bowlers need runs to defend and exert (apply) pressure and it is a luxury (benefit, advantage, boon, comfort, ease) that has largely (mostly, mainly ,to a great extent/degree/level) eluded ((of something desired) fail to be attained by (someone)) the current unit. The selectors along with coach Rahul Dravid and skipper Rohit have to find a way (to achieve or deal with something by discovering the right way). The ICC ODI World Cup later this year in India is another significant milestone (an important event; a significant point (in your life)) and there has to be absolute clarity about team compositions (formation, arrangement, organization, set-up) be it for Tests, ODIs or T20s even if it means that hard measures (stern/severe/strict/tough actions) have to be implemented.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.drought (noun)

Hindi Meaning - सुखा, अकाल
English Meaning - dry spell, dry period; lack, unavailability, deficiency of something (silverware/trophy/cup).

2.humble (verb)

Hindi Meaning - नम्र करना
English Meaning - defeat, beat, crush, trounce, conquer, vanquish, rout, smash, overwhelm, get the better of.

3.cumulatively (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - संचयी
English Meaning - in a cumulative manner; collectively, totally.

4.successor (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उत्तराधिकारी
English Meaning - inheritor, next-in-line; descendant, scion.

5.short of breath (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - सांस की कमी
English Meaning - finding it difficult to breathe properly.

6.centre on (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - केंद्र पर
English Meaning - to have something as the main topic of discussion; to have something as a main theme/subject.

7.recency bias (noun)

Hindi Meaning - नवीनता पूर्वाग्रह
English Meaning - a type of cognitive bias where people make conclusions based on recent events over historic ones; a memory bias.

8.prevail (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रचलित होना
English Meaning - succeed, win through, be victorious, prove superior, conquer, finish first.

9.frenzied (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - क्रोधित, उन्मत्त
English Meaning - frantic, hectic, hyperactive, intense.

10.battle of attrition (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संघर्ष की लड़ाई
English Meaning - a (military) strategy consisting of aggressive attempts to win a battle by wearing down (weakening) the enemy to the point of collapse through continuous losses in personnel and materiel.

11.influence (verb)

Hindi Meaning - प्रभावित करना, मार्गदर्शन
English Meaning - affect, guide, control, brainwash.

12.inexplicably (adverb)

Hindi Meaning - अकथनीय रूप से, दुर्गमता से
English Meaning - in a way something can not be accountable/explainable/understandable.

13.drag in (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - खींचना, घसीटना
English Meaning - bring into an argument inappropriately.

14.transition (noun)

Hindi Meaning - संक्रमण, परिवर्तन
English Meaning - transformation, evolution, progression, adaptation.

15.blues (noun)

Hindi Meaning - उदासी, अवसाद
English Meaning - feelings of depression, feelings of sadness, feelings of unhappiness; misery, sorrow, gloominess.

16.second-best (adjective)

English Meaning - next to the best.

17.hectic (adjective)

English Meaning - restless, very busy, very active, frantic, frenzied, feverish.

18.seem (verb)

English Meaning - appear, look.

19.the dust settles (phrase)

English Meaning - things calm down.

20.meant past & past participle of mean (verb)

English Meaning - indicate, show, signify, suggest, imply.

21.summit clash (noun)

English Meaning - final match.

22.cut to the present (phrase)

English Meaning - come (back) to the present time.

23.suffer (verb)

English Meaning - experience, endure, undergo, go through, be subjected to.

24.silverware (noun)

English Meaning - trophy/cup made of silver.

25.choke (verb)

English Meaning - (in sports) fail to perform at a crucial time of a game/contest due to tension.

26.hard yards (noun)

English Meaning - a great amount deal of effort or hard work, specially in playing a sport.

27.do the hard yards (phrase)

English Meaning - to make a great effort or to do the hard work to achieve something (usually when this (effort/hard work) is not noticed by others).

28.at home (phrase)

English Meaning - in one’s own country.

29.recency (noun)

English Meaning - the fact of being recent; the state of being recent.

30.at play (phrase)

English Meaning - being something that helps produce a result.

31.pursuit (noun)

English Meaning - quest, search, chase; activity.

32.wilt (verb)

English Meaning - lose energy, lose confidence, lose strength, lose vigour, flop, droop, languish.

33.steep (adjective)

English Meaning - sharp slope; unreasonably high.

34.a mountain to climb (phrase)

English Meaning - a very difficult task/challenge.

35.under-cooked (adjective)

English Meaning - underdone/cooked insufficiently; figuratively means “not performed well enough”.

36.shed (verb)

English Meaning - remove, discard, get rid of, throw out, drop, do away with, let go, dismiss.

37.slip (into) (verb)

English Meaning - get into, change into.

38.think-tank (noun)

English Meaning - a panel of experts.

39.overcast sky (noun)

English Meaning - this conditions occur when clouds cover all or most of the sky and cause low visibility conditions.

40.step in (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to become involved in a difficult situation so as to help find a solution.

41.overlook (verb)

English Meaning - miss, reject, dismiss, ignore, discount, disregard.

42.go awry (phrase)

English Meaning - not happen as planned.

43.flicker (noun)

English Meaning - a small sign/indication of something (that does not last very long); unsteady movement.

44.flicker (verb)

English Meaning - move unsteadily; flutter, tremble, tremble, wobble, shiver.

45.outing (noun)

English Meaning - innings (in a test match).

46.on the wrong side of (an age) (phrase)

English Meaning - older than the age mentioned.

47.ageism (noun)

English Meaning - unfair treatment or discrimination towards others based on age.

48.exert (verb)

English Meaning - apply.

49.luxury (noun)

English Meaning - benefit, advantage, boon, comfort, ease.

50.largely (adjective)

English Meaning - mostly, mainly ,to a great extent/degree/level.

51.elude (verb)

English Meaning - (of something desired) fail to be attained by (someone).

52.unit (noun)

English Meaning - team, squad.

53.find a way (phrase)

English Meaning - to achieve or deal with something by discovering the right way.

54.milestone (noun)

English Meaning - an important event; a significant point (in your life).

55.composition (noun)

English Meaning - formation, arrangement, organization, set-up.

56.hard measures (noun)

English Meaning - stern/severe/strict/tough actions.