Remarkable victory

Sir — The ongoing Test series of five matches between India and England has been nail-biting so far. The Indian team showed grit in the second Test at Lord’s, winning the match by 151 runs. On the final day of the match, it initially seemed that the game might swing in favour of the host country. India had declared its second innings at 298-8 just after lunch and set England a target of 272 runs in 60 overs, which seemed manageable. However, India’s strong fast-bowling unit — Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami — turned the game on its head. This match will remain etched in the minds of cricket fans across the world.

Having said that, the English skipper, Joe Root, must be congratulated for scoring an outstanding unbeaten run of 180 in the first innings. As both teams head into the third Test of the series, there is no doubt that cricket fans are in for a treat.

Aditya Mukherjee,
New Delhi

Sir — The recently concluded Test match at Lord’s between England and India was certainly thrilling. The fifth day of the second Test started with India on the back foot. However, the Indian men’s team performed remarkably, ensuring a victory. It must be noted that only one other team in history has declared the third innings of a Test after lunch on the final day and won — New Zealand beat Sri Lanka at Kandy in 1984.

While all players contributed to the Indian victory, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami deserve special mention. Hopefully, India will keep up the momentum and clinch a series victory.

Abhiroop Sarkar,
Birbhum

Sir — The dramatic manner in which the Indian cricket team scripted victory against England at Lord’s reaffirms that the oldest format of the game is going to survive in spite of the popularity of Twenty20 and one-day internationals among the younger generation. Both teams played well with noteworthy performances from several players. Hopefully, many such unforgettable games will continue to delight us in the future.

Rakesh Bajoria,
Calcutta

Hidden worries

Sir — For the past few weeks, the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan has, rightly, captured the attention of the world. Many may thus not be aware that a devastating earthquake of 7.2 magnitude hit Haiti last Saturday. Nearly 2,000 people lost their lives and many others were severely injured. According to reports, 1.2 million people have been affected, but with rescue operations still underway, it will be a while before the actual scale of devastation can be comprehended.

Haiti is currently battling a political crisis as well — the former president, Jovenel Moise, was assasinated last month at his residence. On top of all these troubles, the rescue operations have now been hindered by heavy rainfall. Unless other nations extend a helping hand, it will be difficult for the people of Haiti to recover from these problems.

Jang Bahadur Singh,
Jamshedpur

Sir — The ongoing crisis in Haiti must not be overlooked. In the aftermath of the earthquake, countless families have lost access to shelter, safe water and food. The Caribbean nation, which already had a rickety infrastructure, is battling an earthquake in the midst of a pandemic. India must send aid to Haiti as soon as possible.

Medha Parekh,
Mumbai

Unfair game

Sir — The Calcutta-based couturier, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, has been embroiled in a controversy regarding his collaboration with the fast-fashion brand, H&M. Many are enraged that the designer known to promote Indian artisans failed to involve them in a project that claims, ironically, to be dedicated to Indian patterns and craftsmanship. Worse, the products were similar to ones that can be found in local markets at a tiny fraction of the price. This fiasco has laid bare, once again, the exploitation in the fashion industry. Should designers not be held accountable for fleecing both artisans and customers?

Anamika Saha,
Calcutta

PARTING SHOT

Sir — The mistreatment of elders has become one of the major problems of our times. Many people refuse to care for aged family members and leave them at old age homes.
The latter often suffer physical abuse at the hands of their children. There is an urgent need for the government to provide senior citizens with a monthly pension so that, at the very least, they are not financially dependent on their children.

Kiran Agarwal,
Calcutta