For over 150 years, Kent had been renowned for producing high-quality cricket balls, with firms like Dukes and Alfred Reader leading the industry. These balls were not only used domestically but also exported to countries like Australia and India.

In the April of 1914, cricket ball makers in Tonbridge, Kent, went on strike, demanding a wage increase of five shillings per dozen balls. The workers, who were engaged in this industry and were considered highly skilled, earned only about 30 shillings per week, a wage that was deemed insufficient by the workers.

The strike was led by the Amalgamated Society of Cricket Ball Makers, a union that played a crucial role in advocating for workers’ rights in the industry.

The strike garnered considerable attention from both the public and media, with many sympathetic to the workers’ cause. Editorials in major newspapers supported the strikers, emphasizing cricket’s popularity and urging for a resolution to avoid disruption during the summer months.

After several weeks of negotiation, an agreement was reached between the union and the manufacturers, averting a potential cancellation of the cricket season. However, this resolution was short-lived, as the outbreak of World War I in August 1914 led to a halt in first-class cricket across England, Australia, and other nations involved in the conflict.

After the war, the Amalgamated Society of Cricket Ball Makers continued to advocate for workers’ rights. But the industry began to decline as manufacturing moved to lower-wage countries like India and Pakistan. Strikes continued to occur, such as in 1930 and 1953, but the industry’s heyday was coming to an end.

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The book offers a first-hand account of those three fateful months when India toured Australia. When Bharat announced he was writing about this tour, I knew I was in for a joyride - for two reasons. I had read his previous works and found his writing candid, humorous, and refreshingly honest. And the fact that he and Gaurav had covered the entire tour on the ground made the prospect all the more exciting.

Inside the Bubble

Their proximity to the team and coaching staff has allowed the writer-duo to build a genuinely compelling narrative. The early chapters, which detail the extraordinary challenges posed by the pandemic, are particularly fascinating.

Learning about what these players had to endure quietly and without complaint was eye-opening.

Bridging the Gap

This is, in many ways, the hallmark of Bharat’s writing. He reminds you that your favourite player, however celebrated, is also a human being - one who feels vulnerable, who wrestles with doubt, and who carries the same emotions as anyone else.

He is a master at effortlessly bridging the distance between a player and a fan.

The Rahane Chapter

My personal favourite is the chapter on Ajinkya Rahane. That Rahane led the side with compassion and quiet authority following the Adelaide debacle is no secret. But this chapter goes further, illuminating the lesser-known contours of his personality through anecdotes from his career and life — each one revealing a man who values character above performance. It left me eagerly hoping he tells his full story someday.

Beyond the Boundary

And stories, it turns out, are what this book does best. They are not limited to the players alone. The coaching staff, net bowlers, physios, throw-down specialists - the men who worked in the shadows all find their place here.

Some of these accounts, particularly those touching on strategy and preparation, make for riveting reading. The authors have also woven in a few personal stories of their own, offering a glimpse into everything that went into making the book itself. A nice touch.

Final Take: Must Read

Barring a few typos scattered across some chapters, The Miracle Makers is a breezy and absorbing read. The descriptions of players’ skill sets, performances, and landmark moments are handled with real craft.

Crucially, the book does not confine itself to the Test series. The ODI and T20 legs receive ample and deserved attention, something that is all too rarely the case. Cricket fans will find it deeply enjoyable. For everyone else, it serves as the perfect entry point into a unique and once-in-a-lifetime series.

The series has inspired many artistic works including books by other authors and a documentary series as well. But The Miracle Makers remains my most favourite celebration.

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A Nation Holding Its Breath

It was the first week of a new school term. I was in XIIth grade, and I did not want to go to school that day. Not with India in a World Cup final. Not at home.

There was a particular quality to the air that week - a collective restlessness, a barely suppressed excitement that had seeped into every conversation, every classroom, every street corner. People who never watched cricket were suddenly opinionated about the batting order. Even teachers seemed distracted.

I was too young to fully articulate it then, but I could feel it: an entire nation had drawn a single, shared breath and was refusing to let it go. This is one of the things that has always drawn me to sport - its uncanny ability to unite people across every divide, to turn strangers into co-conspirators in pursuit of a common dream.

The Coin Flipped Twice

I missed the toss. It was only later that I learned the coin had refused to cooperate on that eventful evening. It had to be flipped not once but twice before the universe settled on its decision. In hindsight, of course it did. Nothing about that night was going to be straightforward.

Before Sachin mesmerized the cricket viewers, Zaheer Khan rose to the occasion. He bowled a neat and tidy opening spell of 5-3-6-1, hardly giving anything away and making sure Srilanka never got far away.

By the time India began their chase, the sun had already slipped below the horizon. Wankhede was glowing under floodlights. And there was Sachin, in his sixth and final World Cup, walking out to bat in the final, at home, in front of his city. If the universe was conspiring, it was doing so with considerable flair.

A Glimpse of Genius

His time at the crease was not long. But it contained multitudes. That straight drive off Kulasekara was pure, effortless, inevitable. It is a moment I carry with me still. It was the kind of shot that reminds you why you fell in love with the game in the first place.

When he was dismissed, the tension became almost physical. Every delivery that followed felt like a held breath. Every run was simultaneously a relief and an invitation for fresh anxiety.

When the Streets Came Alive

Then, suddenly, it was over. Dhoni’s six cleared the boundary, and something in the air broke open.

Fireworks lit up the sky. Sweets found their way to evrybody’’s hands . Strangers embraced on streets that had, moments earlier, been deserted. The celebrations were loud and unrestrained, but what struck me most was how personal it felt - intimate, almost, for something happening at national scale.

I think part of it was that social media had not yet arrived to mediate our joy. There were no feeds to scroll, no highlights to repost. The feeling was raw, unfiltered and entirely your own. You either lived it or you didn’t.

What a Dream Looks Like When It Lands

That night, I understood the Coelho quote for the first time. Not as a piece of inspiration to be pinned on a wall, but as something true.

A 28-year wait had ended. Dhoni had done the unthinkable. Sachin Tendulkar was, finally, a World Cup winner. And watching it all unfold, I began to understand what it really means to pursue a dream. Not just the desire and the discipline, but the convergence: of timing, of circumstance, of a hundred things falling into place at once.

A dream realized is rarely just one person’s doing. It is a collection of wills, a confluence of moments, and occasionally, on certain extraordinary nights, the universe itself lending a hand.

A generation had lived their dream. And in doing so, they handed something to the next one: an identity, a legacy, and the quiet, stubborn belief that some things are worth waiting 28 years for.

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Together, they offer a layered portrait of what it has meant to play for India, to captain a side, to bowl with principle and to love someone who has given their life to the game. What connects them is not statistics or silverware but the texture of lives lived at close quarters with cricket and the human beings behind the averages.

1. The Dhoni Touch

Author: Bharat Sundaresan

Published By: Penguin

Dhoni has always been one of those figures who generates enormous warmth and almost no real disclosure. Sundaresan, rather than chase the man directly, goes around him - to childhood friends in Ranchi, to army contacts, to CSK insiders. The result is a portrait assembled from the edges inward.

It does not pretend to unravel Dhoni completely. What it does, more honestly, is show why the mystery itself is part of the appeal. For a captain who changed how India thought about winning, this is the closest thing to an origin story that exists in print.

The book however plays it safe, just like the Neeraj Pandey directorial Biopic M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story. It steers away from the controversies and misses out on talking about life-changing moments of Dhoni’s journey in detail.

2. The Rise of the Hitman

Author: R. Kaushik

Published By: Rupa Publications

The book explores the character, personality and leadership of one of India’s most accomplished cricketers - Rohit Sharma.

Most of the book is a recollection of events and statistics and the storytelling lacks depth and excitement.

You can read my full review of the book here:

3. The Diary of a cricketer's wife

Author: Puja Pujara and Namita Kala

Published By: Harper Collins

Cricket writing rarely moves indoors. Puja Pujara's memoir changes that. She came to the game with no background in it, married Cheteshwar Pujara in 2013, and then spent years learning - the nutrition requirements, the selection anxieties, the particular silence that follows a bad match.

It is a deeply intimate and personal account revealing not only what it takes to be a professional cricketer but also the everyday struggles faced by the family.

This is also the first time we are given a detailed peek into Cheteshwar Pujara. There are quite a few things about him that stood out for me, which you will know when you read the book.

With a strong focus on relationships, the book will appeal to cricket and non-cricket fans alike.

You can read my full review of the book here:

4. Salim Durani: The Prince of Indian cricket

Author: Gulu Ezekiel

Published By: Rupa Publications

Ezekiel's biography was long overdue. It recovers a figure who had begun to slip from memory and places him back where he belongs: at the centre of the story of Indian cricket in the 1960s, a time when the game here was finding its character.

It breaks myth and ground with fantastic storytelling.

Though Durani remains the epicentre and understandably so, there is much more to know and learn about the highs and lows of Indian Cricket.

5. The Sardar of Spin

Author: Neha Bedi

Editors: Sachin Bajaj and Venkat Sundaram

Published By: Roli Publications

Published to mark Bishan Singh Bedi's 75th birthday, this is not a conventional biography but an anthology, comprising of thirty-four essays by cricketers, writers, and opponents who knew him in different capacities.

The form suits the subject. Bedi was never a straightforward figure: too principled for his own comfort, too outspoken to be universally loved, too gifted to be ignored.

Contributors range from Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar to Mike Brearley and Michael Holding, and together they build a picture of a man who treated slow left-arm bowling as a craft worth defending with the same ferocity he brought to everything else he believed in.

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Let me know which book you enjoyed reading this year, especially if they don’t appear on the list.

I will be back with another review and more book lists and recommendations. Happy Reading!

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In India's first innings of the fifth Test, Vishwanath walked in at 221 for 4. He had already played a gritty knock of 75 in the last Test in Kanpur, a marathon innings that lasted for 4 hours. Having found his rhythm and confidence, Vishwanath continued to bat with authority and eye-pleasing shots that went on to became the hallmark of his batting.

As he entered the nervous 90's, Tony Grieg walked up to Vishwanath and in a moment of candidness told him that "he would be up to something" when Vishwanath reaches the three figure mark.

Vishwanath may have been anxious but Grieg was absolutely certain. As the summit was scaled, Grieg lifted Vishwanath and cradled him like a baby.

The contrast was irresistible - Greig, at six-feet-six, hoisting the compact Vishwanath off his feet and rocking him gently, as the crowd roared its approval. Later when Grieg scored a century in the same match, Gavaskar conspired with Vishy to lift Grieg and return the compliment. The duo attempted only to realize that the big boy was a no-match for them.

It was cricket at its most joyous, rivalry giving way to pure, unrehearsed camaraderie. The century also carried statistical significance. It was Vishwanath's second Test hundred, and in scoring it, he became the first Indian player to score a century after having scored one on Test debut.

Though it would be unfair to assess Vishy’s genius through centuries or landmarks, the Brabourne century thus stood as further confirmation of what India had already begun to sense: that in Vishwanath, they had a batsman of rare and enduring class.

On this February afternoon in Bombay, he gave the crowd everything - runs, beauty, and a moment of pure theatre, courtesy of a giant Englishman who knew genius when he saw it.

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The year was 1962, and India’s touring cricketers were already in trouble before they had faced a single ball. Injuries had ravaged the squad, and the mood was tense when, at a cocktail party on the eve of the tour game against Barbados, West Indies captain Frank Worrell pulled the Indian camp aside with a quiet word of warning.

Charles Griffith, Worrell told them, was not a man to be trifled with. He was crude and hostile, the kind of bowler who once struck an eighteen-year-old batsman on the head and walked away without so much as a glance back. His advice was blunt: better to get out than to get hit.

Nobody in the Indian dressing room knew just how prophetic those words would prove to be.

The Making of a Captain

Nari Contractor had not arrived at the captaincy by accident. Since his Test debut in 1955, he had steadily built a reputation as a technically sound and temperamentally strong batsman. An assured 81 at Lord’s in 1959, followed by a composed century at home against Australia later that year, had cemented his place in the side. When he was named captain, he became the youngest man to hold the role in Indian cricket at that time.

His finest hour as a leader came in 1961-62, when he guided India to a historic series victory over England on home soil. It was a triumph that raised expectations for the West Indies tour that followed. What lay ahead, however, was something no preparation could have anticipated.

Into the Lion’s Den

The West Indies of the early 1960s were a formidable side, and touring their backyard was an exercise in endurance for any opposition. For Contractor’s injury-depleted squad, it was something closer to ordeal. India were routed in the first two Tests by enormous margins, and the captain himself struggled with the bat. By the time the tour match against Barbados arrived, the side was running on fumes.

Contractor had not been due to play. But with the injury list growing by the day, he had no choice but to take the field.

Barbados possessed a fearsome attack: Wes Hall, George Rock, and the man Worrell had warned them about - Charlie Griffith. The home side batted first and piled up 394. Then it was India’s turn.

The Delivery That Changed Everything

From the non-striker’s end, Rusi Surti watched Contractor face up to Griffith and grew increasingly uneasy. The action didn’t look right. He leaned over and warned his captain that Griffith appeared to be throwing the ball. Contractor, focused and composed at the crease, told him not to be distracted and report it to the umpire if he thought it necessary.

The next delivery never reached the bat.

Griffith’s ball struck Contractor on the head, just behind the right ear. He crumpled to the ground instantly, blood pouring from his nose and ears. The crowd fell silent. He was stretchered off and rushed to hospital, where a local surgeon operated immediately to stabilise him before a neurosurgeon could be brought in.

Decades later, Contractor revealed to journalist Rajdeep Sardesai - in his book Democracy’s XI, the reason he never picked up the ball. When Griffith ran in to bowl, a window had opened in a dark room behind the bowler’s arm. The sudden flood of light blinded him at the critical moment. He never saw the delivery that would end his international career.

Blood Donors and Brotherhood

Back at the ground, the match continued. Many of the players did not yet know the full gravity of what had happened.

Contractor had lost dangerous amounts of blood. Teammates with matching blood groups stepped forward to donate. This included the likes of Chandu Borde, Bapu Nadkarni, and Polly Umrigar. But the most moving gesture came from the opposition. Frank Worrell, the man who had tried to warn Contractor just days earlier, quietly rolled up his sleeve and gave his blood too.

That evening, after stumps were drawn, Griffith made his way to the hospital to check on the man he had felled.

For six long days, Contractor drifted in and out of consciousness. When he finally came round, the relief in the ward was palpable. The incident sent shockwaves across the cricket world, triggering widespread calls for bouncers to be banned from the game.

Contractor himself would have none of it. “I wouldn’t like to create a situation,” he said, “where anybody could point a finger at me and say: because he was hit, he’s a crybaby.”

A 21-Year-Old Steps Up

India’s tour did not stop. With their captain hospitalised, vice-captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, just twenty-one years old, was thrust into the breach. He became India’s youngest ever Test captain, inheriting a side already 2–0 down and still reeling from the trauma of watching their leader fall. India would go on to lose the series 5–0.

The Legacy of Worrell’s Kindness

Worrell’s act of generosity at the hospital was never forgotten. Every year on February 3rd, Frank Worrell Day is observed in West Bengal, where the Cricket Association of Bengal organises a blood donation drive in his memory - a small but meaningful tribute to a man who, in a moment of human crisis, set aside all sporting rivalry.

The irony is painful: Worrell, who gave his blood to save a rival, would die of leukaemia at just forty-two years old.

The Comeback That Wasn’t

Nari Contractor’s courage in the months that followed was remarkable. Barely ten months after nearly losing his life, he was back in domestic cricket. He harboured genuine hope of reclaiming his India place.

It never came. He was never selected again.

His story remains one of cricket’s great what-ifs - a career interrupted not by age or form, but by a ball he simply never saw coming.

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Many autobiographies tend to rush and skip to the part where the cricketer is already established or has achieved some sort of recognition. But Ashwin goes the unconventional way. He gives his childhood due acknowledgement. You get to know about his health struggles. He also talks about the relationship with his Appa, which is endearing.

He fondly remembers his childhood friends with whom he has grown up playing cricket on the streets. Just like all of us, each one of his friends has a unique characteristic which Ashwin has beautifully narrated, adding an element of humor and relatability.

The writing is simple, concise & to the point. Collaborating with Sidharth Monga is a winning move.

Ashwin has a reputation of being raw and brutally honest. He is known to stand for what he thought was right, even if it meant a professional setback. These traits have been inculcated in him from his childhood, which you get to know through various instances shared in the book.

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Cricket anecdotes are plenty as you would expect from an autobiography. He talks in detail about his relationship with MSD and how it has evolved over time.

The writing is characterized by an equal respect and acknowledgement for other art forms in the game, particularly bowling. He writes:

“Then Irfan errs, as bowlers do because they are not machines”.

This is a work of a writer who looks at the game objectively and is keen on maintaining the balance which is quickly loosing its sheen. Such thoughts will give the upcoming generation a balanced and contrary perspective towards the game, which is the highlight of the book for me.

Final Take

The book ends with the 2011 World Cup win. We don’t get much to read on Ashwin’s journey as a Test cricketer. Neither do we get to know about his process and preparation for famous tours such as the BGT. This is my only grievance from the book. I hope Ashwin has a second edition planned for us.

This one is a must read though.

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However, there was another side to it. Their own cricket ability, good or bad, was of little relevance. Instead, it was their financial strength and connections that paved the way for them to assert their supremacy, even in cricketing matters.

Patiala vs Vizzy: A Rivalry Beyond the Boundary

It was against this backdrop that animosity between the Maharaja of Patiala and Vizianagaram peaked, especially after the formation of BCCI in 1928. Even though Patiala was richer and more skilled as a cricketer, ‘Vizzy’ was driven by his ambition to captain India.

He succeeded in drafting a star-studded side composed of Herbert Sutcliffe and Jack Hobbs for a tour in 1931 - no easy feat by any means. In response, Patiala arranged the training for England’s tour of 1932 at Bardari Palace in Patiala and also offered to sponsor the tour.

Vizzy looked to strengthen his position in the power dynamics. He had an amicable relationship with the then Viceroy, Lord Willingdon and offered to donate a ‘golden’ Willingdon trophy to winners of India’s national championship in 1934. Patiala blocked his attempts by donating a similar trophy but in the honor of RanjitSinghji, one that continues to be played to this day. However, Vizzy was relentless and his continuous interplay of politics and sport ultimately reaped benefits in 1936, when he was chosen the captain for the tour of England.

Chaos in England

As soon as the team landed on English shores, Vizzy’s arrogance and abject understanding of the game wreaked havoc. He once bribed an opposition player to bowl him full tosses and weaker deliveries so that he could score runs. That he was a substandard player was no revelation. However, his leadership drew sharp criticism even from his own teammates, who asked him to step down and make way for Nayudu to be appointed captain.

This left Vizzy infuriated. He made Baqa Jilani insult Nayudu at the breakfast table prior to the third test in return for a test cap. His feud with Lala Amarnath had far-reaching consequences for Indian cricket.

The Lala Amarnath episode

The confrontation began over field placements during a tour match but later escalated when Amarnath was demoted in the batting order and forced to bowl and field despite severe back pain. Vizzy would ask Amarnath to pad up and not send him to bat until the end of the day, which once prompted an intense outburst from Amarnath.

The team manager, Britten Jones, consequently charged Amarnath with indiscipline. Notwithstanding the team’s chances on the tour, Vizzy and Britten Jones conspired to have their best all-rounder sent back home midway through the tour.

Another reason for this envy was Amarnath’s closeness to the Maharaja of Patiala, a long standing-rival of Vizzy. Despite his impressive performances, Amarnath was treated with utmost disdain and insensitivity. Vizzy used all his political strength to ensure Amarnath did not return to the side.

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The Vijay Merchant–Mushtaq Ali incident

The skirmishes within the team kept growing but Vizzy was not one to bow down. The next victim of his insanity was Vijay Merchant. During the second test, he instigated Syed Mushtaq Ali to run Vijay Merchant out and offered him a gold watch as a reward.

Imagine the captain of a team doing this!

Ali, however, spoke to Merchant about Vizzy’s scheme and the duo strung a mammoth 203-run partnership, denying Vizzy his share of off-the-field success.

A Ruined Tour and a Tainted Legacy

To say Vizzy’s ego-filled captaincy stint ruined the prospects of a talented team wouldn’t be wrong. This is evident from the fact that India won the third and only Test of the tour in his absence, which he had to miss in order to receive his knighthood. He did accomplish his dream of playing for India and captaining the side. However, his disastrous campaign meant this was all he had to show for his international career.

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The Multi-Format Points System: How It Works

The series uses a framework borrowed directly from the Women’s Ashes, the pioneer of the multi-format, points-based contest. The teams play three T20 Internationals, three One Day Internationals, and a one-off Test match. In this system, T20Is and ODIs each carry 2 points for a win, 0 for a loss, and 1 point per side for a tie or no-result, while the Test is worth 4 points for a win, 2 points each in the event of a draw, and 0 for a loss.

With three T20Is and three ODIs, there are 6 points available from each white-ball format and 4 from the Test, making 16 points in total, with the overall series decided by the cumulative tally across formats. Crucially, no match exists in isolation, and every result feeds into a single overarching scoreboard that keeps the series alive until the final ball of the final match.

The Origins

The idea of a multi-format points system in women’s cricket dates back to the 2013 Women’s Ashes in England. Until then, the Ashes were decided exclusively by Test results, a tradition stretching back to the inaugural women’s Test series in 1934–35. As limited-overs cricket grew in prominence and scheduling became more congested, relying on a single Test as the ultimate decider for an entire tour began to feel increasingly out of step with the modern game.

The 2013 Women’s Ashes introduced a new model: six points for a Test win, two points apiece for a drawn Test, and two points for each limited-overs win. England dominated that Ashes, winning 12–4 overall. The 2013–14 return series in Australia was far closer, with England edging a 10–8 victory that showcased how the system could keep a series alive even when one side appeared to have the upper hand in a particular format.​

In 2015, the Test allocation was revised downward from six to four points, a change Australia’s then coach Matthew Mott praised as creating a fairer balance between the formats. The now-standard structure - 4 points for a Test win, 2 for a draw, and 2 for each limited-overs win, has remained in place ever since.

Beyond the Ashes, the system was used for the first time in non-Ashes women’s cricket in 2021, when India toured England and lost a closely fought series 10–6 on points. Later that year, Australia hosted India in another multi-format contest, winning 11–5 after taking the ODI series 2–1, the T20I series 2–0, and drawing the lone Test. That 2021 Australian home series is the most direct predecessor to the current 2025–26 tour.

Interestingly, when Australia toured India in 2023–24, each format was treated as a separate bilateral series with no unified points table. In hindsight, that decision stripped the tour of the narrative tension that the integrated system naturally generates, reducing the sense of one continuous storyline stretching from the first ball of the first T20I to the last session of the Test.

Men’s cricket has dabbled with this concept too. In 2016, England hosted Sri Lanka and Pakistan in experimental multi-format series using a combined points table, but the idea was never given a sustained run and has since disappeared from the men’s calendar.

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The 2025-26 Australia Tour

The ongoing tour has been a near-perfect advertisement for what a multi-format points system can produce: dramatic momentum swings, format-specific dominance, and the constant possibility of a comeback.

In the T20I leg, India claimed a landmark 2–1 series win, their first T20I series triumph in Australia since 2016. It was Australia’s first bilateral T20I series defeat at home since 2017 and a milestone moment for Indian women’s cricket, giving India a 4-2 points lead after the T20Is.

Australia answered in ruthless fashion in the ODIs. They were hit by injuries - Ellyse Perry and Kim Garth were ruled out with quad strains before the series began, and Sophie Molineux later suffered a back issue, which severely tested their depth. Yet they showed why they have long been the standard-bearers in women’s cricket. In the first ODI, Alyssa Healy’s composed half-century anchored a comprehensive Australian win, leveling the overall points at 4–4.

Australia then took the second ODI at Allan Border Field, with Georgia Voll and Phoebe Litchfield stitching together a fluent 119-run partnership that put India on the back foot. India might have banked the T20I trophy, but Australia powered their way back with a comprehensive 3-0 ODI series win, taking the points tally to 8-4. India still has a chance to level the scores, with the one-off Test yet to be played.

Why the Multi-Format Points System Is a Brilliant Concept

Bilateral cricket’s greatest structural flaw is the dead rubber. In a conventional three-match series, once a team leads 2–0, the third game is effectively meaningless: teams rest key players, crowds thin out, and the competitive intensity fades. A unified points table all but eliminates this problem.

Under the multi-format system, a team that dominates the T20Is cannot afford to treat the ODIs as a chance to experiment too freely, because the overall series is still very much alive. Conversely, a side trailing heavily heading into the Test knows there is still a realistic route to an overall series win, because a four-point Test victory can dramatically alter the standings. Every match carries stakes; every result, even late in a tour, meaningfully shifts the narrative.

There is also a deeper philosophical value at play here. The system honors all three formats equally within the structure of a single narrative. It does not privilege T20Is simply because they generate more immediate commercial revenue, nor does it diminish the Test match as an anachronism.

Instead, the four points available in the Test - double that of any single limited-overs match - acknowledge the primacy and difficulty of the longest format while still keeping it in conversation with its shorter counterparts. The Test is the series finale, the crescendo, the match with the highest stakes.

It is not about choosing one format over another, but about binding them into a single, coherent journey.

The Case for Multi-Format Series in Men’s Cricket

Men's bilateral series are increasingly plagued by relevance fatigue. When Australia visit England for a five-Test Ashes, the narrative largely sustains itself, but when a major team tours a smaller nation for a three-Test series, interest can evaporate once the result is sealed early. There is no context.

A multi-format points structure could transform the very idea of a men’s bilateral tour. If points from Test matches, ODIs, and T20Is all fed into a single series table, every format would carry significant stakes. Teams would need to select genuinely well-rounded squads and think more carefully about workload management. Versatile players capable of contributing across formats would be more valuable than ever, reanimating the idea of the complete touring team.

The 2016 experiment in England, when men’s multi-format points series were trialed against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, was too limited in scope and duration to be a fair test of the model’s long-term appeal. A concept of this nature needs structural commitment to align with players, broadcasters, and audiences. Men’s cricket has an opportunity to learn from a system that women’s cricket has been refining, stress-testing, and proving since 2013.

If this India–Australia tour demonstrates anything, it is that when every match feeds into a single, shared goal, bilateral cricket stops feeling like a series of disconnected obligations and starts to resemble what it should have been all along: one continuous, compelling story.

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Today, however, the tone feels drastically different. Instead of building anticipation through cricketing context, the presentation relies on sensationalism. The storytelling feels exaggerated and detached from the subtle beauty and unpredictability that make cricket special. Hype has replaced heritage.

The Choking Narrative - When Rivalry Turns Cringe

One of the most uncomfortable recent campaigns has been the “choking” angle pushed around the India–South Africa Men's T20 WC Super 8 clash. Instead of building the contest around skill, preparation, and strategy, the promotion leaned heavily into mocking South Africa’s past failures, reducing a proud cricketing nation to a meme.

(The Commercial was taken down after the India-South Africa match, which South Africa won comfortably).

Upset Predictions - Disrespect Disguised As Marketing

Perhaps more problematic is the dramatic framing of matches involving associate teams as potential “upsets.” The language and tone often imply that these teams are merely fillers and are present only to create shock value if they somehow challenge a heavyweight.

This framing is deeply unfair to associate nations who fight for funding, visibility, and respect in global tournaments. When campaigns position their competitiveness as a surprise rather than a possibility, it subtly reinforces hierarchy instead of celebrating growth.

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The Bigger Problem

The common thread across the “choking” ad, “300 alerts,” and exaggerated upset narratives is sensationalism. Instead of trusting the sport’s natural drama, promotions are engineered to provoke reactions - outrage, mockery, or viral engagement. Not to forget the pressure it creates on the team and players who take the field.

But cricket has never needed artificial tension. It has always thrived on respect, rivalry, unpredictability, and depth. When marketing forgets that balance, fans notice. And that’s where the disconnect begins.

The Growing Disconnect

During major events organized by the ICC, we increasingly see creators and influencers filming reels in training areas or producing meme-driven interactions with players. While such content may generate quick engagement, it often lacks cricketing depth. The focus shifts from preparation, tactics, and mindset to viral snippets designed for algorithms.

The 2023 Men's ODI WC theme song is a classic example. Instead of weaving clips of iconic World Cup moments, historic rivalries, or even current cricketers in action, the music video centered on popular entertainment personalities and online creators. The result was Dil Jashn Bole feeling more like a social-media campaign than a cricket celebration.

From Legacy Names to Brand Labels

Another subtle but telling shift has been in how bilateral series trophies are branded and named. Traditionally, these trophies carried emotional and historical weight because they honored human excellence.

The winner of the Test series played between India and England in India is awarded the Anthony De Mello Trophy. It is named after Anthony De Mello who was one of the founding members of the BCCI.

For the series played in England, the winner is awarded the Pataudi Trophy, as a tribute to Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, who happens to be the only player who has represented India and England. The Trophy was recently renamed as Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, with a new Pataudi medal of excellence announced to be awarded to the winning captain.

India and South Africa compete for the Gandhi-Mandela Trophy, also called the Freedom Trophy. It was instituted as a tribute to the leaders of both the countries.

The Test series between New Zealand and South Africa is called the Tangiwai Shield, which commemorates the Tangiwai Rail disaster that occurred during the Test match between the two countries in 1953.

There are many more. Australia and West Indies fight for the Frank-Worrell Trophy. Australia and Srilanka go against each other for the Warne-Muralidharan Trophy.

Today, however, many bilateral series are introduced primarily with sponsor prefixes, where the brand takes center stage and the historical or emotional identity of the contest becomes secondary. The graphic reads like an advertisement first and a cricket contest second.

When trophies are named after legends, they preserve memory. They remind fans of past captains, iconic tours, and defining moments. When they are reduced to temporary brand identities, that continuity weakens.

It may seem like a small change, but over time, these shifts contribute to the larger disconnect, where commerce increasingly dominates culture in modern cricket broadcasting and promotion, sometimes at the cost of the game itself. I understand commerce is important for the growth of the game but how helpful it is if it sacrifices quality and integrity.

The Contrast - Pepsi “Change The Game” Campaign

Where modern campaigns sometimes chase virality through shock narratives or influencer-driven content, the Men's ODI World Cup 2011’s promotions trusted the game and its icons.

They didn’t reduce opponents to memes.

They didn’t sideline cricketers for creators.

They didn’t manufacture drama.

They celebrated cricket and that’s why fans connected so deeply with it.

Many of the tournament promos highlighted iconic, signature shots of players and that helped generate excitement before the start of the World Cup:

Virender Sehwag – Upper Cut

MS Dhoni - Helicopter Shot

Tilakaratne Dilshan - Scoop

Harbhajan Singh - Doosra

Kevin Pieterson - Switch Hit

Shakib Al Hasan - Super Scoop

The promos even covered umpires with a dedicated advertisement to highlight Billy Bowden's unique bended finger dismissal (which happens to be because of Arthritis).

What Can We Do Better?

Sports means something. To be humble in both victory and defeat. To treat your opposition with respect. What happens on the field stays there. Not every match or series is about revenge. It necessarily does not have to be about 'BADLA'. Maybe it's time we go back to the basics. To enjoy the game for it's beauty.

Cricket deserves coverage that respects its depth, its history, and the players who make it great and not just campaigns designed for clicks. It ought to be inclusive and objective. Broadcasting popularized the game beyond anyone's imagination. I hope it doesn't become the reason that kills it.

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I had read cricket books before. Mostly autobiographies and historical works. But the way in which Eye on Cricket puts into perspective various dimensions related to the game captivated my imagination. In his foreward, Gideon Haigh, a celebrated author himself, writes that Samir’s ability to construct a rigorous argument to reach a provocative conclusion makes him enjoy Samir’s work - a sentiment I share.

What is it about?

The book is a collection of essays encapsulating the emotions of every cricket lover who has played or followed the game at any point in their life. It does not merely dwell on statistics or anecdotes; it speaks directly to the cricket fan within you, recognizing your individuality while acknowledging the shared ways in which we all interact with the game.

Each essay revolves around a subject that most cricket enthusiasts will find familiar. The chapters on childhood cricket, for instance, take you back to your gully or club cricket days, while the discussion on cricket equipment highlights how a shared passion for the game coexisted with the economic realities of different households and the class barriers reflected in who could afford what.

He recalls the pride and satisfaction of scoring his highest runs in a local game and explains why such moments matter:

“ No game, no physical or cultural endeavor, can survive or be sustainable if held afloat only by the efforts of those proficient in it. A game is sustained as a cultural passion by its humble pursuits at lower levels; the cumulative, speculative, physical weight of those aspirants continue to elevate the game.”

These chapters are bound to make you nostalgic.

In another chapter, Samir Chopra expands the horizons of cricket literature by exploring fans’ relationships with numbers. While 99.94, 15,921, 774 or 8,032 may seem random to the uninitiated, they hold deep meaning for cricket fans, just as years like 1932, 1952 and 1971 do for Indian cricket followers.

This is an entirely different dimension of fandom, one with a kind of privileged accessibility. His offbeat look at how fans obsess over numbers makes for a compelling read, and it is fitting that his favourite number is 796.358, the library classification code for cricket books.

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Beyond the Boundary: Ideas and Debates

Philosophy runs through the length of the book. The author offers a thoughtful, often philosophical take on different kinds of fans and their relationship with the game, asking why some leave the stadium before the match ends, or how a player-fan understands and appreciates cricket differently from a regular fan.

These discourses both free your thinking and keep you engaged. Even though the essays are not directly connected, they are neatly grouped into categories, giving us the freedom to read them in any order we prefer.

He also dwells upon topics of popular discourse - aggression and spirit of the game. I appreciate how the author didn’t shy away in sharing his opinion, however controversial they might sound. This is reflected in how Chopra is critical of Dhoni for calling back Ian Bell during a test in 2011 even after being ruled out by the umpire - a decision which earned Dhoni applause but cost India the match.

He also argues that Fire in Babylon suffers from poor storytelling, a view that may divide readers but certainly provokes thought. Some chapters may not appeal to everyone equally, yet they consistently offer a considered and engaging narrative.

One recurring debate in cricket concerns the evolution of formats, and here I am grateful that the author chooses to explain Test cricket in a way that helps the current generation appreciate its uniqueness. He shows how its shifting passages of play give it a distinct identity and reinforce the idea that it is the one format in which all twenty-two players can be significant participants.

In other chapters in this section, we encounter evocative descriptions of the changing look and feel of the game and the thrill of slip catching.

Should You Read Eye on Cricket?

Now coming to why you should get this book. Firstly, it acts as an assurance that you can be divided by boundaries or generations but will always be united by cricket.

Secondly, the writing is endearing and relatable, with barely a dull moment because the author deftly supplements the narrative with engaging trivia and anecdotes.

Finally, there is a chapter devoted specifically to sports writing that I found both informative and inspiring. It encouraged me to be fearless and aspirational as a writer and convinced me that even the most seemingly trivial subject can be meaningfully situated within the larger story of the game.

In the author’s own words, if you cannot stop watching or thinking about cricket, this is a book worth having on your shelf.

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At the heart of this triumph stood Mulvantrai Himmatlal “Vinoo” Mankad, a name that would forever be intertwined with Indian cricket’s rise. A cunning and intelligent bowler, Mankad was a master of flight and subtle variation, forever probing the batter’s uncertainty.

In the Madras Test he took 12 wickets, orchestrating England’s downfall almost single-handedly. Over the course of the series, he collected 34 wickets and scored 223 runs, a thunderous all-round performance that confirmed his status as a world-class match-winner. Yet, even as his star blazed brightly, fate was preparing a cruel twist.

Clash with the Board and the Haslingden contract

The next challenge lay in the summer of 1952: a daunting tour of England, the land of India’s former colonizers, and a graveyard for many visiting sides. Given his exploits in the 1951–52 series and his success on the 1946 tour, Mankad’s place in the squad seemed beyond question. Or so he believed. As trial matches for the tour were being held in India, Mankad was already in England, having received a lucrative offer from Haslingden, a club in the Lancashire League.

In such circumstances, Mankad demanded an assurance from the BCCI that he would be guaranteed selection in all tests if he goes on to rescind his contract with the Haslingden. The Board offered no such promise, leaving his request unanswered.

Faced with uncertainty, Mankad signed with Haslingden. The Board and the selection committee were left furious and chose not to include Mankad in the side, decreeing that “India can produce a dozen spinners like him.” Thus began one of the most notorious chapters in the long, uneasy history of player–board conflict in Indian cricket.

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India’s disastrous start to the 1952 tour

On the field, the cost of that decision became painfully clear. Under Vijay Hazare’s captaincy, India walked into the first Test of the 1952 tour without their premier all-rounder. The fearsome new-ball pair of Alec Bedser and Fred Trueman tore through India’s batting, and in the second innings reduced them to an almost unimaginable 0 for 4.

England wrapped up the match with a seven-wicket victory, and the humiliation, compounded by injuries within the squad, forced a rethink. Captain Hazare and team manager Pankaj Gupta reached out to Haslingden, pleading for Mankad’s release for the remainder of the series.

The recall: from Lancashire League to Lord’s

Initially, the club was reluctant to let go of their prized professional. It took the intervention of Sir Herbert Merrett, a Welsh businessman and President of Glamorgan County Cricket Club, to break the deadlock. At his urging, Haslingden eventually agreed to release Mankad. He was drafted into the Indian side for the second Test at Lord’s - reportedly against the wishes of the BCCI, who now had to watch as the player they had spurned returned to the national fold on foreign soil.

“Mankad’s Test”: batting masterclass at the home of cricket

Lord’s, the game’s grandest stage, became Mankad’s personal theatre. In the first innings, he produced a gritty 72, steadying India and hinting at what was to come. In the second innings, he rose to something near mythic: a majestic 184 out of India’s total of 378, batting with a blend of defiance and authority that left spectators in awe.

With the ball, he added a five-wicket haul in the first innings, completing one of the most remarkable all-round performances the ground had ever witnessed. Such was his dominance that the match passed into history as “Mankad’s Test,” a rare instance in world cricket where a game is remembered almost entirely for one cricketer’s performance. For Vinoo Mankad, it was a moment of destiny - he had made his Test debut at the same venue six years earlier and now he owned it.

Yet even this extraordinary display could not alter India’s fate in the series. Despite Mankad’s heroics, India lost the Lord’s Test and eventually the series as well. He returned to Haslingden and continued to excel, his value to the club undiminished. But the scars of his treatment by his own Board ran deep; the lack of faith and respect from cricket’s powerbrokers left him disheartened and demoralized.

Still, Mankad refused to let bitterness define him. He continued to serve India with distinction in the years that followed, crafting a legacy that would outlast administrators and controversies alike.

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Having missed the first Test because of a painful whitlow, Gavaskar finally walked into international cricket in the second Test at Port of Spain. On 12, attempting an elegant drive, he offered a chance that West Indies captain Garfield Sobers put down.

From that reprieve, Gavaskar crafted a fluent 65. This was one of the many field lapses by the home team that aided Gavaskar in his dream run. He followed that first knock with another composed half-century in the second innings, as if he had always belonged on that stage.

By the third Test, Gavaskar was dismantling the West Indian attack with unnerving composure. Yet even he was not immune to nerves, and at one tense moment he popped up a simple catch off Jack Noreiga.

Only a last-minute field change saved him. Had the fielder not been moved just before that delivery, Gavaskar’s story that day might have ended in despair instead of glory. Buoyed by that stroke of fortune, the Little Master marched on to his maiden Test century.

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Garfield Sobers had a cherished ritual of greeting opposition players before a match, and he frequently wandered into the Indian dressing room. Struggling through a lean patch, the great man one day walked up to Gavaskar and in a seemingly casual gesture, laid a hand on him, as though hoping to siphon off a little of the young opener’s charmed fortune. As fate would have it, the magic worked as Sobers ended up scoring three consecutive centuries.

India entered the final Test 1–0 up, the series poised for a dramatic climax. The West Indies needed 262 runs on the last day to win the Test and square the series, a target that seemed well within reach for a line‑up led by Sobers. As was his habit, the West Indies captain set off on his pre‑match tour of the Indian dressing room, ready to exchange pleasantries and perhaps brush shoulders with fortune once more.

But this time, Ajit Wadekar, India’s shrewd and superstitious captain, had other ideas. Fearing that another touch of Gavaskar might gift Sobers yet more runs, he locked his star opener in the washroom, determined that the West Indies giant would not lay a finger on him that morning.

Gavaskar protested as he had to pad up but Wadekar was adamant. Sobers could not meet Gavaskar that morning in the dressing room. Call it miracle, mind game, or mere superstition, but what followed has passed into folklore. Sobers strode out to begin the chase and was dismissed first ball for a duck by Abid Ali, the great champion cut down in an instant.

Wadekar’s gamble had paid off, and with Sobers gone, India surged towards a historic triumph. As the final West Indian wicket fell and India sealed the series, an entire nation exulted, not just in a victory overseas, but in a story where luck, belief, and nerve had intertwined to script history.

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After taking guard, Jones walked up to umpire Terry Prue with an unusual request. Prue turned to Ambrose and asked him to remove the white wristband from his right hand. Ambrose was bowling with the white ball, and Jones complained that the wristband made it hard to pick up the release. The six-feet-eight Antiguan already had a reputation as a terrifying proposition; the request sent a murmur through the ground.

Ambrose would not budge. The umpires could not sway him either. In the end, captain Richie Richardson had to step in and convince his spearhead to take the wristband off. At the other end, Mark Taylor struggled to understand what Jones had just set in motion. Now it was no longer just Jones versus Ambrose; the entire West Indies side wanted a piece of him.

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What followed was pure carnage. Ambrose grew quicker, meaner, and more menacing after the confrontation. “The next three deliveries were probably the quickest I ever faced!” Jones would later say.

Jones had intended to get under Ambrose’s skin; instead, he lit a fire. Ambrose later recalled:

“I was really upset with him and I told myself I’m going to make it damn hard for him. I’m really going to rough him up. I wasn’t going to hurt him, but I was going to make him uncomfortable.”

Ambrose wreaked havoc on Australia, finishing with figures of 5 for 32. Australia lost both the match and series.Jones admitted it was a serious lapse in judgment, one that hurt not just him but his team. He never tried a stunt like that again. In later years, he and Ambrose would laugh about the moment, but the episode stayed with Jones for the rest of his life.

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I am piling back on a scooty being driven by a friend. We are in Dharamshala for the Test match between India and England. It’s Day 2 and we are dodging the occasional vehicle and navigating the steep and narrow roads of the Himalayan town to reach the stadium. Anderson is bowling with the 700 wicket landmark in sight and we are running late.

We enter the stadium and find it buzzing with incredible energy. The Barmy Army is getting behind Anderson, each delivery a theatre. No fast bowler has made it this far. This is a generational moment for everyone present. The chants of Jimmy Jimmy are reverberating through the stadium. Anderson takes his mark, runs in, draws Kuldeep into the edge as Foakes completes the catch. Harsha calls it an ‘Himalayan achievement’. Indeed it is.

When the Ball Speaks: A Love Letter to Fast Bowling Through Anderson’s Eyes

Milestones are celebratory but also tell you have taken one step closer towards the end. Anderson could not go beyond 708. It’s not what he wanted. But that’s the ultimate truth of life. Everything comes with a finality. It makes sense he begins his autobiography talking about this fateful moment. A meeting with Stokes and Baz that would put an end to a glittering 22-year-long career. It wasn’t nearly half as dramatic an exit as Broad’s but it was grand. Anderson could walk back a content cricketer. A rare and cherished feeling.

I have followed Anderson’s career but not very intricately. Fast-bowling and fast-bowlers awake a different personality within me, which usually remains hidden. It’s inexplicable, it just happens. The book succeeds in doing that. Anderson and Felix White talk about swing, seam, creating angles and of course, the magic Anderson delivery. They break down the nuances, down to the minute details. Oh, the joy in reading!

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James and Jimmy: Two Lives of a Fast Bowler

The prose is so brilliant that you could experience Anderson’s personality shift across chapters. The authors have made a conscious attempt to humanize him. There is James and Jimmy - the duality of lives a cricketer lives through the length of their career. You know it is going to be a winning autobiography when the focus is on the story rather than statistics.

The narrative is unique in many ways. We get three chapters dedicated to each day of Anderson’s last Test against West Indies. Each chapter is packed with emotions, nostalgia and love. For the game and for Anderson.

Then there is the introduction to the chapters. Some of them do not mention just Anderson’s statistics. But also the others who had standout performances in that game. There is also a dedicated chapter to Broad’s Ashes spell of 2015. This reaffirms the long stated fact that bowling, just like batting, thrives in partnerships. Wasim-Waqar, Steyn-Morkel, Anderson-Broad - batters threaten but bowlers instill fear.

The authors have picked up matches and series thoughtfully as to not just throw numbers and accolades at the readers but instead provide some sort of context to them. That said, there is not much on Anderson’s many verbal altercations, one on one rivalries and lost battles. In fact, the book majorly focuses on Australia and the Ashes, which feels like an incomplete read.

Anderson is at his expressive best. The descriptions are beautiful. There is an intrinsic humor in the writing that keeps the reader engaged and you are sailing through the pages before you know it. Controversies such as Textgate are addressed, only on surface level though.

Finding the Story, Not Just the Stats: Why The Autobiography Works

When I picked up the book, I was not aware about Tailenders. It is a podcast that Anderson hosts along with Felix and others. It’s astonishing how Anderson managed to do it while still playing, given how notoriously the internet works. But it is one of the reasons why the book has turned out to be this good. It was not just a contract. There was a camaraderie between the authors and the storytelling was based on years of experience, understanding and refinement.

Writing an autobiography is becoming like a fill in the blanks exercise. With a set template, imagination and storytelling often takes a backseat. Finding the edge breaks the formula and in equal parts, delights and inspires. Entertaining but not preachy.

It romanticizes with fast-bowling just enough to make you get out of the bed, dress up and find an empty corner to start sending down deliveries. This is a big victory for Anderson and White. With Finding the Edge, Anderson has set a benchmark off-the field as well. Something that is going to be difficult to emulate.

New story drops every Wednesday!

In this blog, I unearth forgotten gems, celebrate historical triumphs, and explore the finest literature from the world of cricket.

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“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves”.

Let’s go back to Melbourne, 1873 to make sense of this statement. Albert Trott was born. He burst into Test cricket for Australia in 1895 and left such an impression that the England captain called him “one of the finest cricketers Australia has ever produced.”

The crowd rewarded him not with riches but with a few guineas and a loaf of bread. In the three Tests he played for Australia, he averaged 102.50 with the bat. Australia cricket should have nurtured and taken care of him. But instead they let him go. Nobody knows why.

Even more cruel was his omission from an Australian side captained by his own brother, Harry Trott. There existed an opportunity of a shared dream but there was only a vacant spot. That rejection pushed Albert to look elsewhere for belonging.

A new home, a golden year

England became his refuge and his stage. After qualifying for Middlesex, Trott declared, “I shall make my home here,” and for a brief, blazing period, it felt like destiny finally agreed. In sport, there are years when a player becomes synonymous with the year they go beyond their limits and for Trott that year was 1899.

He completed the rare double of 1,000 runs and 200 wickets in a season, the mark of a complete all‑rounder. He launched a six off Monty Noble that famously cleared the Lord’s pavilion at Lord’s, was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year, and followed up with a 10‑wicket haul against Somerset the very next season. A few years later, he produced a double hat‑trick against the same county, reinforcing the feeling that cricket had discovered its next enduring great.

Yet behind the numbers lurked a strange emptiness. For all his county heroics, Trott’s Test career stalled; neither England nor Australia chose to back him. The man who dominated for Middlesex found himself unwanted in the international arena, his destiny apparently rewritten in invisible ink.​

Glory without fame

Alcohol was his quiet antagonist. He “liked his drink a little too much,” and over time it crept into his bowling rhythm, fitness, and his life away from the ground. By 1902, weight and health issues had dulled his once-devastating bowling, and the aura of inevitability around his success began to fade.

As his form declined, so did his finances. Money grew scarce, and gambling worsened the damage. Cricket, once his sanctuary, started to drift out of reach, as if the game itself were stepping back from him.

Umpiring offered a fragile lifeline, a way to stay on the field even after his body betrayed him. But alcohol, nephralgia, and dropsy soon attacked this second career as well, stripping him of purpose and routine. He was sacked by Middlesex in 1910 and By 1911, even his wife and children deserted him.

Destiny, in one final act

Eventually, the suffering became more than he could bear. With his personal life shattered and his professional world gone, Albert Trott made the devastating decision to end his own life. He was just 41. The same hand that had once sent a cricket ball soaring over the Lord’s pavilion now held the pistol that ended his story.

He had written his will behind a laundry ticket, leaving behind his wardrobe and a sum of Pounds to his landlady. He was the last cricketer to have played for both Australia and England.

There is no single line that can neatly explain Trott, no tidy sentence that captures the man who climbed so high and fell so far. Still trying to make sense of Destiny? We all are. The fact remains there was no one like Trott.

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It has been five years since I kicked off my journey with Cricket Field Chronicles. It was a cold January morning of 2021. At that point, I had already been writing on cricket for six years, seeing my pieces appear on platforms like Sportskeeda. I had also interned with them twice, only because I was so invested in this space where I can engage with the game in a more personal manner.

From playing in the streets and playgrounds of Delhi to representing my school and University, I have a spiritual connect with cricket. It has come to become the best form of expression for me. While playing cricket has been immensely satisfying, reading and writing cricket became equally fascinating for me over the years.

But here’s what gnawed at me: cricket deserved better. It deserved to be remembered not just in statistics, scorecards and scandals, but in the forgotten spells of bowlers, in the unsung performances of batters who changed games but rarely headlines and in the literary legacy of authors who’d spent decades unpacking why this game matters so deeply.

I decided to build something different. I wanted it to be that cozy corner of the internet where you could slow down, revisit a half-forgotten bowling spell or stumble upon a book that changes the way you see the game. I wanted fans to relive their own golden, nostalgic memories and find new ones along the way.

So, on 8 January 2021, I finally took the plunge. CFC was born with a simple Instagram carousel titled “Pioneers of Indian Cricket”, a post that will forever remain special because it felt like the moment this dream stopped living only in my head. I was clueless, had no definitive plan, and no “content strategy”. Just a stubborn idea that cricket deserved to be chronicled differently.

What do I write about on Cricket Field Chronicles?

If you are new here, or have been silently reading for a while, here is what Cricket Field Chronicles really tries to do.

1. Forgotten & Lesser-Known Tales: I chronicle the forgotten. You’ll find stories here that rarely make it to the highlight reels - like the unsung spinner whose spell once changed a Ranji final, or the tale of a batter catching fire while batting. Cricket is filled with such fascinating stories and CFC is their home.

2. Cricket Literature - A World to Explore: No other sport inspires such a wealth of books, essays, and poetry. I review and recommend classic cricket books - like “A Corner of a Foreign Field” by Ramachandra Guha and contemporary ones like“Chinaman” by Shehan Karunatilaka. Our collection includes interviews with celebrated authors and fresh releases from India’s top publishing houses, ensuring you’ll never run out of great cricket reads.

3. Honest Reflections & Reviews: From documentary deep-dives to candid movie reviews, expect unbiased takes on how cricket is depicted beyond the pitch.

4. Travel essays and Stadium Guides: Travel essays and Stadium Guides are a cornerstone of Cricket Field Chronicles’ unique storytelling. I’ve stood in Dharamshala with Himalayan peaks as witnesses. I’ve walked through Galle International Stadium where sea breeze and cricket belong to a different, more poetic world. These pieces take you beyond the scorecards, inviting you to explore the vibrant world of cricket through journeys to legendary stadiums and historic venues.

5. Off-the-field Stories: We delve into the intriguing world of cricket’s economics, management, and cultural impact. Such stories provide readers with a rare glimpse into the operations, challenges, and innovations that shape the game outside the playing field - spotlighting the administrators, entrepreneurs, marketers.

I take pride in the fact that CFC has been able to offer such diverse content and expose cricket enthusiasts to the magnificent world of cricket literature. In such a short span of time, I have managed to write close to 100 write-ups. In case you haven’t checked them out yet, please do it here.

It has been my attempt to find and curate the best cricket content for you. And not just that. I have been consciously making attempts to enhance my narration and storytelling skills to make the content more engaging and entertaining.

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Milestones Along The Way

1. Crossing the 1,000-follower mark on Instagram in 2023, a small but meaningful sign that there were people out there who cared about slow, story-driven cricket content.

2. Watching a Men’s ODI World Cup match live in October 2023, feeling the roar, the collective intake of breath, and that strange, shared heartbreak and joy that only a packed stadium can create.

3. Witnessing Test cricket in Dharamshala in March 2024, with the mountains as silent, majestic spectators in the background.

4. Being in the stands for the Men’s ODI World Cup Final on 19 November 2023 – an evening that will stay etched in memory regardless of the result.

5. Visiting Galle International Stadium in 2025, where sea breeze, fort walls, and cricket come together in an almost surreal frame.

6. Walking through the Sri Lanka Cricket Museum in Colombo and feeling, physically, how layered and contested cricket history can be.

7. Launching the dedicated Cricket Field Chronicles website with a custom domain in 2024–25, turning a social-media-first project into a proper home for long-form writing.

8. Hosting a masterclass on sports storytelling in 2023, sharing with others the craft that this platform has quietly taught over the years.

9. Attending the book launch of Mohinder Amarnath’s autobiography in 2024, in the august company of Virender Sehwag, Kapil Dev and Kirti Azad. An ordinary writer. In a room with legends.

None of this was on the vision board in 2021. Each opportunity came because this community kept showing up, reading, sharing, and nudging CFC forward.

How can you become a part of CFC Family?

I’m not going to oversell this. The journey till now has been experiential and rewarding. We are a small but dedicated community of 1000+ cricket enthusiasts on Instagram. The carousal style storytelling has gained immense popularity among the readers.

Last year, the website added another layer to this ecosystem, giving all the essays, reviews, and guides a more organized and accessible home.

While everything on CFC is free to read, we have been a reader-supported platform since the beginning Your support helps me sustain this dream and to keep researching, writing, and traveling to cricket grounds to bring you stories that matter.

Maybe consider buying me a cup of coffee? ☕😃

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I am also active on Twitter where I regularly tweet my opinions, analysis and reflections on the latest happenings in the game.

I value the support each one of you has provided me over these past years. I have had the pleasure of getting to know some amazing people and dedicated cricket lovers through this platform. My interactions with many of you over Email/Instagram/WhatsApp have not only enhanced my knowledge of the game but also allowed me to make the platform more content-rich and useful.

However, I still feel that I haven’t been able to take my work to the desired number of enthusiasts. So here is a small, sincere request. If a piece speaks to you, share it with that one friend, sibling, colleague, or teammate who geeks out about cricket the way you do.

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What’s Next?

1. Research is an important part of what I do at Cricket Field Chronicles. For the next few months, I will be focusing on strengthening the content repository by bringing interesting write-ups. You will get to read a lot more cricket fiction and cricket book related content as compared to last year. The quiet target is to hit 200 write-ups by the time CFC turns six.

2. The website currently has four main sections - history, forgotten gems, stadium diaries, and book reviews. Each of these will be expanded thoughtfully, with collaborations and new categories on the horizon.

3. The long-term dream is to shape CFC into a genuinely interactive community: a safe, nerdy, welcoming space where serious cricket buffs can share their stories, swap recommendations, and feel seen. Some ideas are already in motion; more will unfold as the year progresses.

4. My vision with CFC is to be the largest and most authentic platform for cricket books. I look forward to catalogue cricket book based on their genres and build a database where you can discover books easily, read reviews and buy directly from the website if you wish so. By the end of next year, CFC will have more than 200 books in its database and will strengthen its position as a one-stop platform for cricket books.

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A note from one fan to another

If you are reading this, whether you discovered CFC yesterday or have been around since that very first “Pioneers of Indian Cricket” post, thank you. This platform exists because you chose to spend a part of your day here, indulging in long reads and niche stories in an era that constantly pushes for shorter, faster, louder content.

2026 is already shaping up to be a year of experiments, surprises, and new stories waiting to be told, and it feels exciting (and a little scary, in the best way) to take you along for the ride. If you enjoy letters like this and want more frequent behind-the-scenes notes, do let that be known with a like, a comment, or even a short reply telling what CFC means to you as a reader.

You can follow me on Instagram and Twitter . Subscribe here to receive posts directly in your inbox. Buy Me A Coffee if you if you wish to nudge this dream forward.

Cheers,

Lakshit

P.S. There’s a new piece coming later this month about the must-read cricket books. It’ll make you want to rush to a bookstore. Trust me.

Seating and Layout

Courtesy of being born and brought up in Delhi, I am aware of the ground seating and layout. Most of the stadium view is obstructed by huge pillars and angled roofs, making it a tough sit for longer duration matches. I understand that the stadium is old but the need for renovation hasn’t been felt more than it feels now. The good viewing angles are limited and you need to be aware of the viewing angles and corresponding seats before booking your tickets at the stadium.

All factors considered, North East/West Stands are the best at the Kotla. They offer an almost straight view without any hindrance from the pillars. The East Stand Ground Floor comes second close, offering a horizontal view of the proceedings. But it comes with a caveat.

In Kotla, the ground is separated from the seating by a fence which might be an obstruction for Ground Floor viewers. But other than that, the view is close to perfect, with players in close proximity and action quite easy to follow. The First Floor offers a slightly distant but non-obstructive view and sits perfectly between the Ground Floor and Second floor. What makes these stands preferable is the pricing, which is not astronomical like some of the other premium stands.

It is a no brainer to book the North West Stand Ground Floor. I am fortunate to get the stand of my choice. Because the economical tickets didn’t last long.

Connectivity

The stadium is well connected by Delhi Metro, with Delhi Gate being the nearest station. The Station is on the Violet line network and is literally adjacent to Gate no. 16 and 17 of the stadium.

On match days, the DMRC runs extra trains beyond their schedule time to facilitate fans and match attendees to reach their desired locations. Getting out of the stadium can be tricky as the station and metro gets crowded, so it is advisable to plan your exit and not leave the stadium in a frenzy.

The Kotla is also very well connected by road through buses and three-wheelers. When it comes to three-wheelers, do not forget to bargain or negotiate as they tend to inflate prices arbitrarily during match days.

Overall, travelling to Kotla is an economical and convenient affair.

The Ticket ‘Mess’

Tickets. There is a major confusion due to different booking partners for different associations. But there is an ever bigger problem. The season tickets.

This is my first encounter with the newly introduced ‘Season Ticket’ system by the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA). I am alien to the concept. Earlier, tickets for Test matches were sold for individual days. In the new system, tickets for all 5 days are sold collectively. This means a single person gets tickets for all 5 days. Even if they wish to attend a single day or a couple of days. Does it make sense to you? It doesn’t to me.

It seems that the administrators are losing on revenue with Tests not lasting their full quota of five days. It also creates an abject situation of demand and supply, giving the administrators am option to sell tickets at exorbitant prices. Now you know why there are empty seats at the stadium despite it showing sold out online.

I found the system to be unfair and exclusionary. So many genuine fans are left wanting for tickets. I have people reach out to me for tickets - at metro stations, outside the stadium. To a point where I felt disappointed with the mess that this system had created. It breaks my heart seeing the way fans continue to be treated in this country. (More on this below).

So, what’s the solution?

The BCCI and the State Associations should work together on creating a single online ticket booking platform. Just for cricket matches, with all the essential information, procedures and guidelines. Most importantly, they should put out timely information as to how many tickets will be made available for a particular match and how they will be made available to the public.

And to accommodate the large cricket following audience in the country, bring back the old individual day booking system.

Day 1: Quintessential Test cricket

All this while, I am repeatedly asked “Test cricket, really”? “How can you watch a match for five days”? I smile and pass on the question. This is about emotions. Emotion, like humor, is subjective. I have reached that stage in my life where I don’t feel the need to explain or justify. February 17, 2023. Day 1. I feel the shift in energy the moment I am in the vicinity of the stadium. The feeling is not new, but thrills me every time.

The inside of the stadium is a different atmosphere. The crowd is building up slowly. It’s nothing like what you see in the IPL. I navigate through the bustling streets and stairs to reach my seat. The sun is still taking it’s position as the preparations are in their final stages.

The weather is not on my side. Hazy, dark and smoky, unlike the last few days where I was able to sight the blue sky. But it doesn’t bother me. It is the morning of the first day of a test match. Something that I have only heard in conversations or read about in books.

This is also Pujara’s 100th Test. Cheteshwar Pujara is an enigma for the current generation of fans. A cricketer who is so devoted to the craft of batting that he can leave balls all day and still be standing with a smile on his face. He thrives in pain and pressure. Batting is meditation for him.

He gets brutally hit in the 2021 Sydney Test multiple times. On the head, hand and chest. Cummins and co hand him nasty blows. He might not be as flamboyant as a Kohli or as classy as a Rahane. But he puts a price on his wicket which is exorbitant for the opposition to afford. Playing hundred Tests is no mean feat and I am happy that I am here experiencing the moment live.

Ravi Shastri’s voice echoes through the advertisement-laden Kotla grounds as the captains make their way out for the toss. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy holds its pose in the background. Rohit Sharma is at his candid best. Cummins choose to bat. The Test is underway.

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My excitement is at peak because of the composition of the sides. These are teams with players who value and prioritize Test Cricket. Also because they can afford to, given their Boards dominant economic position.

Siraj’s contest with Warner is fun to watch. He is constantly trying new things to intimidate the Australian openers. He is one bowler who I look forward to watching more because of the intensity he brings to the game.

It is now time to witness magic in action, as India’s emphatic spin-duo of Ashwin and Jadeja take guard. Ashwin, in particular, is someone who I have wished to see bowl live. His knowledge of the game and awareness of his craft makes him a destructive force. Only he can do what he does.

My seat in the ground sits at an obtuse angle and it is almost difficult to notice Ashwin’s masterplan or his setup. But I can see Australian batters being watchful and trying to play him out.

The Australian batters don’t disappoint. Khawaja is watchful and crafts a brilliant innings. Labuschagne, in his short innings of 18, plays a cover drive to Shami, which I am going to remember for the rest of my life. Exquisite. I am looking forward to watch Smith bat but the star batter is in no mood to thrill the Delhi crowd, as he is back in the pavillion before anyone could notice.

Peter Handscomb is the surprise I am not ready for. From his unusual batting stance to his mindset, he makes the day exciting and the match competitive. He is timing the ball like a piece of iron getting attracted to a magnet. I want Test matches in India to last full five days. But Australia folding up on Day 1 allows me to catch a glimpse of Indian openers, particularly Rohit.

I am amazed by how quickly Rohit gets into position after judging the line and length of the ball. Cummins steams in, gets into his delivery stride and pitches a good length delivery. It is only slightly wide but enough for Rohit to lash on to it and cut it like a knife falling on butter. The ball races to the boundary and I am treated to the famous square cut by our very own Hitman.

Unpleasant Stadium Experience

I have been to Kotla many times before and some things don’t seem to change. Seating for example. Broken, dirty and uncomfortable. Also, is it too much to ask for basic amenities such as a drinking water and clean toilets in a cricket stadium in the country’s capital? Food pricing continues to be exorbitant. The Ticket Booking system is a mess.

These are all recipes that would keep fans away from the stadiums in any other country. Not in India though. The administrators have become complacent, knowing the fans would fill up the stadiums anyhow and hence don’t consider it important enough to improve the fan experience for which they are paying their hard earned money. I hope to be optimistic but am not sure if it ever will.

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Day 3: Marching Towards Victory

Professional duties keep me away from attending Day 2. After the proceedings of Day 2, it is clear that the game wasn’t going to last long. Day 3 promises a thrilling climax. Kotla is full and brimming with palpable energy. However, I am missing Day 1’s vibe. Day 1 felt like quintessential Test cricket day - slow, peaceful and suspenseful. Every delivery was a contest.

The crowd was more involved as it appreciated good cricket irrespective of the side they were supporting. I found friends in strangers, with whom I could discuss and talk cricket with strangers around me. I had never experienced this in any other format. This is what I seek.

Each session and day promise a different experience, which is what makes Test cricket stand out. Australia collapse like a pack of cards on Day 3, which doesn’t come as a surprise considering how defensive they have been in their adaptability and skill to play spin ever since the tour began.

I am left disappointed with the lack of fight from Australia in the second innings, which doesn’t allow the Test to progress for more than 3 days. I think it’s high time teams stop blaming pitches and focus on skill and application. As India completes the chase, the stadium erupts in joy.

I head out of the stadium not knowing when I will be coming back. Kotla doesn’t get the number of international games that it used to. The pitch here is sub-standard and the weather highly unfeasible for sporting action. And the fan experience continues to deteriorate. It pains me to see what this iconic stadium has been made into which boasts of iconic cricket memories. But I would like to hope. As Andy Dufresne says in Shawshank Redemption,

“Hope is a good thing maybe the best of the things. And no beautiful thing ever dies.”New story drops every Wednesday!

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New story drops every Wednesday!

In this blog, I unearth forgotten gems, celebrate historical triumphs, and explore the finest literature from the world of cricket.

If you find these stories meaningful, or if they show you why cricket is important on and off the field, consider sharing them or subscribing.

Subscribe now

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The journey has been long, challenging but equally fascinating.

Here are 5 books (in no particular order) that will help you go through this journey and help you understand what went behind achieving the powerhouse status.

🏏A Corner of a foreign field by Ramachandra Guha

Reading history has never felt this exciting. A book that enlightens you about the origin and development of cricket in India.

Guha weaves an intriguing narrative of how cricket found itself associated with social and political events in India’s history.

Backed with incredible research, it is insightful and eye-opening.

🏏 The Miracle Makers by Bharat Sundaresan and Gaurav Joshi

A first-hand account of how the Indian team went beyond their call of duty to give cricket fans across the globe a cricket tour that will go down in history as one of the best.

The book does justice to the incredible story of India’s victory of the Border Gavaskar Trophy in 2020-21.

🏏 Indian Cricket: Then and Now by Venkat

An anthology on Indian cricket with 47 contributions from 40 different writers, chronicling the journey of Indian cricket through its prominent personalities and landmark moments.

A goldmine of stories and anecdotes for cricket fans.

If you’re enjoying reading this post, consider SHARING my newsletter for free with your friends and colleagues, and help my blog reach a larger audience! Come, let’s celebrate and enjoy cricket together!

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🏏 The Lord's of Wankhede by W.V. Raman and R. Kaushik

Documents the transformative journey of Indian cricket between the two World Cup victories of 1983 and 2011.

Backed with impeccable research and fluid writing, it presents a raw account of how India emerged as a cricketing superpower.

🏏 The Miracle Men by Nikhil Naz

A nostalgic and entertaining retelling of India’s 1983 Prudential Cup campaign.

Replete with anecdotes, the book presents intricate details about the selection conundrum, team dynamics, dressing-room conversations and on-field tactics.

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Let me know which book you enjoyed reading this year, especially if they don’t appear on the list.

I will be back with another review and more book lists and recommendations. Happy Reading!

New story drops every Wednesday!

In this blog, I unearth forgotten gems, celebrate historical triumphs, and explore the finest literature from the world of cricket.

If you find these stories meaningful, or if they show you why cricket is important on and off the field, consider sharing them or subscribing.

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India, under British rule, had its very own domestic cricket competition which was immensely popular - The Pentangular. This story is about the tournament that shaped cricket culture in India, but remains largely forgotten.

The Parsi community was the first to adopt cricket in India, as a means to flourish in trade and increase their proximity to the British. The first Parsi club was the Orient cricket club established in 1848 and was funded by wealthy business houses such as the Tatas and the Wadias. Many more Parsi clubs were formed later ultimately leading to the establishment of the Parsi Gymkhana in 1885.

As Parsees gained proficiency in the sport, members of Hindu community also started playing the game. They demanded a separate club which promoted their interests. As a result, the first Hindu club, Union cricket club was formed in 1866. Another club, Hindu cricket club was established in 1877 which eventually led to the formation of Hindu Gymkhana in 1884.

Cricket among Muslim community was fostered by the wealthy and influential Lukmani and Tyabji families. A Muslim Cricket club was established in 1883 by the Tyabji family which was later classified as Islam Gymkhana in 1892. The game had quickly spread among the wider Indian population because of the formation of different Gymkhanas.

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The Bombay Gymkhana was formed in 1875 exclusively for the white community. Until now, the colonial masters did not encourage competing with the ruling class on the field. But the proficiency of Parsi cricket forced them to play against the Parsees. In 1892, a first class-match between the Europeans and Parsees was played and this Bombay Presidency match became an annual affair. Foundation for the Pentangular lies in this Bombay Presidency match.

Until now only Parsees competed with the British on the cricket field. This, however, changed in 1906, when the Hindu Gymkhana played their first match against Bombay Gymkhana. This is how the Triangular came into being in 1907, consisting of teams from Bombay Gymkhana, Hindu Gymkhana and Parsi Gymkhana.

It later turned into Quadrangular in 1912 with the joining of Muslim Gymkhana. The tournament became Pentangular in 1937 with the joining of the Rest team, consisting of Christians, Jews and Buddhists. The Pentangular was now the most desired place to be for any aspiring cricketer in India. It is also credited for turning cricket into an entertainment carnival from an elitist sport in India.

Bombay emerged as the centre of Indian cricket as all the Gymkhanas were based there. The Gymkhanas would hold trials to recruit the best talent from across the country. Matches attracted huge crowds, even to the extent that there was black marketing of tickets.

The Pentangular season not only became a part of the calendar but also the routine life of Indians. Newspapers were packed with match reports. Radio commentary was started to engage the public with latest match updates. All these developments further allowed the tournament to grow and prosper.

Despite being hugely popular, the Pentangular also faced criticism for to its communal and divisive nature. The campaign to abolish Pentangular intensified between 1930’s and 1940’s after the formation of the BCCI in 1928 and institution of region-based Ranji trophy competition in 1934. The tournament was ultimately abolished in 1946, but not before making cricket the lifeline of India.

New story drops every Wednesday!

In this blog, I unearth forgotten gems, celebrate historical triumphs, and explore the finest literature from the world of cricket.

If you find these stories meaningful, or if they show you why cricket is important on and off the field, consider sharing them or subscribing.

Subscribe now

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