The population of Tripura, barely 3.70 million, could arguably fit into a Mumbai suburb. It’s the third-smallest state in India, one-tenth the size of Karnataka. Yet, disparities of size, population and sporting heritage were blurred when Tripura stunned Karnataka and Mumbai, cricket’s historic powerhouses, in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this season.

Tripura’s journey was no fluke, or made solely on the virtues of semi-retired hands borrowed from other states. Seven of the 11 that upended the team from Karnataka were born and raised in the state. Captain Manisankar Murasingh’s all-round virtues could summon the attention of IPL franchises. He is a metaphor for Tripura’s gradual but steady rise. Academies have been sprouting, several subdivisions have installed Astro-turf and indoor nets

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