My 2025 wrap-up of all the cricket literature I consumed this year.
Highlights of the year:
Gully Gully for its raw and unfiltered storytelling, The Diary of a Cricketer's Wife for its emotional beauty and Finding the Edge for reigniting my love and passion for fast bowling.
🏏 Indian Summers: Australia vs India
When it comes to describing a cricketer or breaking down a match situation, I doubt anyone does it as well as Haigh.
The book is a collection of Haigh’s writings on matches and tours that have defined the India-Australia rivalry.
The first tour, tied test in Chennai, heroics of Gabba and the 2023 World Cup Final - it is poetic, insightful and captivating.
🏏 The Rise of the Hitman
The R. Kaushik biography explores the character, personality and the leadership of one of India’s most accomplished cricketers.
Most of the book is a recollection of events and statistics and the storytelling lacks depth and excitement.
Rohit’s fans will enjoy this one but there is very little for others.
🏏 The Diary of a cricketer's wife
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.
With a strong focus on inter-personal relationships, the book will appeal even to non- cricket fans.
I have reviewed the book in detail and my full review can be accessed here.
🏏 Finding the edge
Here is a bowler who loves everything about fast bowling. The way he breaks each and every nuance is delightful.
The prose is engaging. The narrative focuses on key matches and feels honest and genuine. Controversies are addressed on surface level only though.
Packed with anecdotes and rich storytelling, this one is a must read.
🏏 Coaching Beyond: My days with the Indian cricket team
A self-help book where Sridhar uses cricket to talk about man-management skills, leadership, team bonding and communication.
The behind the scenes anecdotes are interesting but the overall writing and prose was underwhelming.
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🏏 Gully Gully
The book takes me back to those beautiful six weeks of 2023, where the entire nation was united by a common dream.
Replete with plenty of stories and written with finesse and brilliance, it is a must read for a cricket fan and if you love travelogues.
🏏 Wrist Assured
A detailed account of Vishwanath’s cricketing journey. He takes us back to the cricket of the 70’s & 80’s, when the time and the game both were simpler.
Falls in the Autobiography trap and focuses more on matches and statistics than the story.
🏏 The One: Cricket, my life and more
Dhawan talks about his struggles, highs and lows, friendships and experience with different coaches and captains he played under.
The memoir has valuable lessons for the upcoming cricketers. Apart from that, the book is strictly for Shikhar Dhawan fans.
🏏 Tested
Cummins interviews eleven accomplished personalities - individuals from different walks of life and across different countries, and presents their experiences and insights.
The diversity of stories makes for an enriching read. It is not a memoir and the aim is to help the readers become better leaders.
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 in 2026. Happy Reading!
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In this blog, I unearth forgotten gems, celebrate historical triumphs, and explore the finest literature from the world of cricket.
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