While the world celebrates Smriti Mandhana’s elegance at the crease, the story of the man who first placed a bat in her hands remains one of Indian cricket’s most touching, yet understated, narratives. Shrinivas Mandhana, recently in the news due to a health scare that led to the postponement of his daughter’s wedding, is far more than just a star parent—he is the architect of a dream that took two generations to fulfill.

Long before Smriti became a household name, Shrinivas was a dedicated cricketer himself. He represented Sangli at the district level, harboring ambitions of wearing the India jersey. However, due to a lack of family support and financial constraints, he was forced to abandon his professional aspirations. But the dream didn't end there; he famously vowed that one of his c

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