Sir — The ever-vigilant gau rakshaks are, arguably, under tremendous strain given that the grave responsibility of protecting India’s vast bovine population rests on their shoulders. But they may finally be able to draw a few calming breaths. Cows are the latest species to join the league of therapy animals who let humans blow steam without so much as a protesting moo. ‘Cow cuddling’ may be the perfect stress buster for those who claim to be ‘saviours’ themselves. But then all kinds of domestic animals — dogs, cats, birds — have been known to work wonders on the mind. Cows alone cannot claim the title of the therapist.

Biswanath Majumdar,
Kalyani

Narrow miss

Sir — India’s defeat in the the cricket World Cup was a heartbreak waiting to happen (“Blame it on 3 down for 5 & Guptill’s arm”, July 11). It is a shame, though, that it had to happen in the semi-final of the World Cup. Team India’s troubles began when Shikhar Dhawan was injured. Instead of opting for a strong opener, surprisingly, Risabh Pant was drafted into the squad. This dealt a telling blow to the Indian middle order, especially in the case of K.L. Rahul, who was just beginning to settle in at No. 4. Out of the blue, Rahul was asked to open with Rohit Sharma. It would have been ideal if the talented opener, Mayank Agarwal, had been included in the team at the time of M.S. Dhoni’s thumb injury. Instead Agarwal was called in when Vijay Shankar was injured. Perhaps it is these disastrous selections that made Team India’s defeat inevitable. Virat Kohli is seen frequently consulting the former skipper, Dhoni. Does this mean he is unsure of what to do? If so, captaincy should be handed over to Rohit Sharma. Kohli has been entrusted with too much responsibility.

Subhobrata Basu,
Calcutta

India cricket captain Virat Kohli, centre, shakes hands with members of the public as he leaves the team hotel in Manchester city centre, the day after his team stumbled to an 18-run defeat by New Zealand at Old Trafford cricket ground in Manchester, England, on Thursday, July 11, 2019. (AP)

Sir — It is hard to accept that India has been vanquished in the World Cup. Millions of fans were expecting the Men in Blue to lift the trophy again. The reasons for the loss in the semi-final were over-confidence, especially given the achievable target, poor choice of batsman at No. 4 and overall disappointing performance of middle-order batsmen. Had M.S. Dhoni been sent to bat before Dinesh Karthik, the result of the game may have been different. Dhoni could have guided the two young batsmen, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant. Now one can only wait for the next World Cup for the Indian side to redeem itself.

Smarajit Basu,
Calcutta

Sir — Not just Indian cricket fans but also followers of the game across the globe were left surprised by India’s exit from the World Cup. Even more unbelievable was the fact that the three top Indian batsmen were sent back to the dressing room after scoring just one run each. The arrival of M.S. Dhoni and his partnership with Ravindra Jadeja did hold out a sliver of hope. But with Dhoni’s dismissal, all hope was lost. Although the Men in Blue did not make it to the final, the country witnessed some stellar performances from their team.

Soumya Mishra,
Jamshedpur

Sir — Millions of cricket fans are shell-shocked at India’s exit from the World Cup. But it is unfair to let one bad day — influenced by bad weather — decide the fate of a side that topped the table after the league stages by winning seven out of eight games. The International Cricket Council should take a leaf out of the Indian Premiere League’s book and follow a format where a semi-finalist gets a second chance even if they lose one match. As for the loss to New Zealand, the blame squarely lies on the shoulders of M.S. Dhoni. He is an old war horse and has won many games for India, almost single-handedly at times. But, unfortunately, he seems to have lost his touch. Why else would he keep giving strike over to Ravindra Jadeja continuously? Jadeja, who was doing quite well, could not handle the pressure and lost his wicket with a silly stroke. Dhoni could have at least attempted to hit some big shots. Team selection for the semi-final was also not judicious. Kedar Jadhav should have been picked instead of Dinesh Karthik; this would have increased India’s bowling strength.

Himadri Sarkar,
Jamshedpur

Sir — Cricket teams these days depend on a handful of batsmen and bowlers. They are called upon in all tricky situations and the selectors, the coach and the captain tend to depend a bit too much on this group. Other players in the team play as fielders. Lower-order batsmen seldom experience crunch situations and are happy to let the top order do all the hard work and take all the glory. Hence, if the top order collapses in a given match, then all hope is generally lost. The loss in the semi-final is a pity after winning almost every game in the league stage. The fault lies in the dodgy middle- and lower-orders. Expecting predictably good performances in an unpredictable scenario like the World Cup is foolish.

R. Narayanan,
Navi Mumbai

Sir — India’s top order batsmen failed the nation at a crucial juncture. Breaking records and chalking up centuries means nothing if a player cannot rise to the occasion when the situation demands it. The Board of Control for Cricket in India should take a stern call on players who did not perform at the World Cup.

Sukhamay Biswas,
Calcutta