This 18-year-old loves to bury herself in books. Classics are her particular favourites, especially Charles Dickens and Hermann Hesse. Her go-to book is Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower. She hopes to study English literature someday and try her hand at journalism.
Few people know this side of Chinsurah resident Titas Sadhu, the right-arm medium pacer, who dished out the match-winning 4-0-6-2 at the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup against England in South Africa.
“When there is an impending match, I try not to read too much. You know when you have a good book in hand, you tend to get carried away,” said the Class XII student of Techno India Group Public School, Hooghly.
While her school is proud of Titas’s T20 World Cup achievements — they have even uploaded a congratulatory message on the school’s website — Titas misses attending classes.
“I am on a break from my regular studies for nearly three years now. Cricket, practice, matches, gym keep me busy. Nevertheless, I hope to return to my studies and complete my school. It’s important too,” said the girl, who prefers to read literature rather than books on cricket.
It was, however, sports that made Titas love academics, says the girl.
“Initially, I did not care much about academics. But it was sports that increased my concentration level and taught me how to focus. In fact, sports and taking part in matches and tournaments helped me perform under pressure. It helped me prepare for exams. Sports has taught me valuable life lessons, improved my number skills,” said the girl, who has been a sprinter and a swimmer before cricketer.
“Like most kids, I started with swimming. Then, like my dad, state-level athlete Ranadeep Sadhu, I began training as a sprinter. Slowly, I developed an interest in studies — maths, physics and English,” said Titas.
Titas would also take part in elocution, craft and cultural programmes in school. Good with numbers she scored over 90 per cent in her Class X board exams.
“Since Covid, cricket happened. I started keeping scores for our ancestral cricket club, Rajendra Smriti Sangha, and finally playing the game. Studies were happening online then. So, I could dedicate more time to the game. But I always prefer classroom lessons to online classes,” said the girl.
“My parents and those around me, who have taught me important lessons, are my ultimate role models,” she said.
Techno India Group Public School, Hooghly, principal Pradeepta Chatterjee also remembers the Tagore (green) House girl as an introvert, who was passionate about both academics and sports. “She was a good student, a reader and excellent in sports right from the beginning. We had her since Kindergarten. I remember her performing so well both in swimming and athletics. I stay near her house and would find her diligently practising with her father right at 5 in the morning. She never complained. She took up science after CBSE Class X. I hope she finally completes her Class XII,” she said.
It was a happy day for both Titas and Chatterjee when the former returned to school after her South Africa win to be felicitated.
The reticent, soft-spoken girl, who dreams of representing her country at Lord’s Cricket Ground and vacationing in Bali, also has a practical side to her. “My cricketing career will not last me a lifetime. I have to do something else too. I would love to take up literature, journalism or business studies. It’s important to have a solid back-up option. The knowledge of business will help me set up a future career,” she said.
For now, her life is an endless round of training, trials and work-out. Yet the student in Titas sometimes comes out as she picks up a book or the phone to chat with her friends.