In October 2002, while pursuing my doctorate at Oxford University researching the background of Indian cricket, I received a call from a London-based auctioneer. He sounded really excited on the phone and had assisted me with material. He said to me, "Come and see what I have found." I couldn't believe it when I saw him the following day. In fact, I had a letter from Douglas Jardine addressed to Duleepsinhji in my hand, stating that Jardine wanted to talk to his premier batsman about how he had finally managed to stop Donald Bradman. I could not have written the letter on my meager student stipend.
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