Shashi Tharoor, a prominent Member of Parliament, has publicly lauded Team India's recent victory, but with a twist that diverts attention from the highly anticipated India vs. Pakistan cricket match. While the Men in Blue were facing off against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai, Tharoor took to social media platform X to congratulate another Indian team for their remarkable win in a different sport.
Tharoor clarified that his congratulatory message was not about cricket. Instead, he was celebrating the Indian men's tennis team's historic 3-1 victory over Switzerland in the Davis Cup World Group I tie. This win is particularly significant as it marks India's first away victory against a European nation in the Davis Cup since 1993. Tharoor concluded his message with, "On to the 2026 Qualifiers! #DavisCup #TeamIndia".
The Indian tennis team's victory saw Sumit Nagal securing a crucial win against Henry Bernet, with a score of 6-1, 6-3. India had already established a 2-0 lead on Friday, thanks to impressive singles performances from Nagal and Dhakshineshwar Suresh. Despite N Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli losing a close doubles match, Nagal's victory sealed the win for India.
Meanwhile, in Dubai, the India vs. Pakistan cricket match was underway, adding a layer of political undertones, especially since it was the first face-off since the intense cross-border conflict in May. Pakistan won the toss and chose to bat, with both teams fielding unchanged lineups. The match didn't feature major stars like Virat Kohli or Babar Azam. India's bowling attack restricted Pakistan to 127/9 in 20 overs, with Kuldeep Yadav taking 3 wickets. India chased the score and were at 74/2, with Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav holding fort.
Tharoor's decision to highlight the Davis Cup victory amidst the cricket fervor underscores the importance of recognizing achievements across various sports. While cricket often dominates the sporting narrative in India, Tharoor's acknowledgment brings attention to the success and hard work of the tennis team, who achieved a historic milestone.
In the past, Tharoor has spoken about the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry, emphasizing the need to keep sports separate from political tensions. In 2019, he argued that forfeiting a World Cup match against Pakistan would be "worse than surrender," pointing out that India had played and won against Pakistan during the Kargil War in 1999. He criticized those who called for a boycott, accusing them of trying to divert attention from other issues.
Tharoor's recent tweet serves as a reminder to celebrate diverse sporting achievements and to look beyond the usual cricket-centric excitement. It also subtly reinforces the idea that sports, in its various forms, can be a unifying force, even amidst political tensions.
