Sitting at Delhi’s Taj, Connaught Place, Smriti Mandhana was listening intently to the business pitch that was carefully constructed as extempore by the sports management professional. Tuhin Mishra, the suit, was gunning for the decade-long spirit of Jerry Maguire, complete with kwan coating the ka-ching, trying to sign up the elegant southpaw batter from Sangli, for his management agency. Smriti had just returned from the 2017 World Cup final where India had lost to England. But her star was clearly on the ascendance. Armed with a slim tie and smooth rattling of dizzy contract figures, Tuhin reckoned he had his Tom Cruise-act down pat.

“She heard me out without interrupting, and then told me, ‘You know, you remind me of Paresh Rawal’.” He laughed a tight laugh that didn’t reach his eyes.

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