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Indian Cricket: Then and Now
Starting with the very first Test match that India played in 1932, Indian Cricket chronicles a remarkable journey, highlighting key moments in the country's cricketing history over the last century or from the incredible Test wins in the 1970s and the thrilling World Cup wins of 1983 and 2011 to the emergence of the Indian Premier League, the evolution of women's cricket, the development of world-class ground facilities and the appearance of the 'superfit' Indian cricketer. Alongside, it celebrates some true cricketing from C.K. Nayudu, Vijay Hazare, Vijay Merchant, Nari Contractor, Tiger Pataudi, Ajit Wadekar, Salim Durrani and the Spin Quartet to Sunil Gavaskar, Gundappa Vishwanath, Kapil Dev, Dilip Vengsarkar, Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli.
- GenresSports
340 pages, Paperback
Published October 20, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 24, 2024
Decent book - I am such a natural born hater to old athletes.
Venkat clearly knows a lot about cricket. When I got this book I thought it would start from 83 and go on. I wanted to learn about players I never saw like Dev, Gavaskar, Chandresekhar and players I barely saw (Kumble, VVS, Dravid) but Venkat had too much focus on other players. They may be important but idgaf about some 56 yr old cricket player from 1922.
The MSD, Sachin, Virat, Sehwag, etc. chapters were FYEEE. Wish it was more of that and less athletes from colonized India. I guess I should have known before picking it up in Bengalaru.
Good thing is I am def interested in reading a book about specific goated players like MSD Sachin and Virat. Maybe one on the 2011 team
One thing I rly rly liked about the book was showcasing how far India has come from being colonized by England to playing against them and Australia. They went through sooo much racism back then but to see players like David Warner post pics of Ram Ji during the opening of Ayodhas temple or Auzzie / English players asking for autographs of Sachin / his jersey shows rly how far we have come. Used to be the brown buggers and now they all look up to these Indian legends.
Venkat clearly knows a lot about cricket. When I got this book I thought it would start from 83 and go on. I wanted to learn about players I never saw like Dev, Gavaskar, Chandresekhar and players I barely saw (Kumble, VVS, Dravid) but Venkat had too much focus on other players. They may be important but idgaf about some 56 yr old cricket player from 1922.
The MSD, Sachin, Virat, Sehwag, etc. chapters were FYEEE. Wish it was more of that and less athletes from colonized India. I guess I should have known before picking it up in Bengalaru.
Good thing is I am def interested in reading a book about specific goated players like MSD Sachin and Virat. Maybe one on the 2011 team
One thing I rly rly liked about the book was showcasing how far India has come from being colonized by England to playing against them and Australia. They went through sooo much racism back then but to see players like David Warner post pics of Ram Ji during the opening of Ayodhas temple or Auzzie / English players asking for autographs of Sachin / his jersey shows rly how far we have come. Used to be the brown buggers and now they all look up to these Indian legends.
May 14, 2024
I loved this book, a fabulous piece of work by a former cricketer. I am currently doing a NHD (National History Day) Project on the 1983 Cricket World Cup and how India won out of absolutely nowhere. This book was very helpful to understand the historical context or what actually happened before this very crucial event I'm researchingI feel like something he does really well is although he composed it altogether, he gets other people to write in it. Each chapter therefore is by a different author. I feel like this puts in different perspectives which helps me understand where people are really coming from. Finally, I think he helped me comprehend the issues of cricket then and now. For example, the lack of domestic tournaments today and no equipment to cultivate players back then which was important to have a good squad.
April 16, 2024
The early chapters are fabulous, including ones by Vijay Nayudu on CK (his grandfather), Pranab Roy on his father Pankaj, Vijay Merchant on the drama at Old Trafford in 1936, and Vijay Hazare on his exploits at Adelaideq in 1948. Partab Ramchand on the Spin Quartet, Yajurvindra Singh on MAK Pataudi and Kapil Dev are very good too, and several of the other chapters (including the first two by Raju Mukherjee and Arunabha Sengupta) are fascinating. But the book somewhat peters, with a too-short chapter on India’s match-winners and several quite unnecessary topics. But I would still highly recommend the book to cricket lovers.
September 8, 2024
A compendium of short articles that take the readers through the key highlights of the history of cricket in India, it’s key moments and it’s key players. Just thought that if the same could have been compiled with a common thread or theme running through each chapter then it would have made for a more interesting read. Loved learning about quirky anecdotes such as the famous Cadbury advertisement and its connection with a real incident of display of adoration between a cricketer and a fan, Singh family from Chennai which produced 10 first class cricketers, 1971 - Eknath Solkar and best catch in the Indian Cricket History (till then), Hyderabad Crickets stars and grounds, etc.
December 21, 2023
a treat for connoisseurs of indian cricket. covers brief details and exploits of a wide range of indian stalwarts past and present. much recommended.
April 11, 2024
Whenever I am asked for a book recommendation on Indian cricket, I find it difficult to give a definite answer. We have books on cricket history, iconic series', autobiographies of our favourite cricketers and even tour diaries. But a book that offers a comprehensive account has been missing for far too long. I am happy to say the quest has finally ended.
Venkat Sundaram brings together famous cricketers, distinguished writers and leading journalists to give us an anthology on Indian cricket. The book has 47 contributions from 40 different writers, making it a goldmine of stories and anecdotes for the cricket fans. The journey of Indian cricket is very well chronicled through its prominent personalities and landmark moments.
The essays are split into six chapters – The Early Years, Legends of the Past, Winds of Change, The Modern Age, Domestic Stalwarts and Beyond the Pavilion. I particularly enjoyed the last two, with essays from V.K. Ramaswamy on umpiring and Narottam Puri on commentary being the most fascinating.
While Raju Mukherjee’s essay on the pioneers will take you back in time, Shubhangi Kulkarni’s essay on women's cricket will compel you to broaden your perspective. Vijay Lokapally shares the journey of a domestic cricket stalwart Sarkar Talwar who couldn't make it to the highest level.
What I love about anthologies is the freedom they provide to the readers.You can pick any chapter as you please. They are also a good way of acknowledging the efforts of writers in educating cricket fans about the rich history of the game.
This is Venkat 's second book as an editor, the previous one being the Sardar of Spin. He is a former first-class cricketer who knows the game inside out, which also reflects in how he has set the vision for the book.
As a cricket fan, you will get to enjoy the game of only a handful of cricketers in your lifetime. But books such as these will keep reminding us where the game has come from and the contribution of various cricketers towards it. In the words of the editor, “This book is a wonderful window into the past, through which one can look back at the fascinating journey of Indian cricket.”
Venkat Sundaram brings together famous cricketers, distinguished writers and leading journalists to give us an anthology on Indian cricket. The book has 47 contributions from 40 different writers, making it a goldmine of stories and anecdotes for the cricket fans. The journey of Indian cricket is very well chronicled through its prominent personalities and landmark moments.
The essays are split into six chapters – The Early Years, Legends of the Past, Winds of Change, The Modern Age, Domestic Stalwarts and Beyond the Pavilion. I particularly enjoyed the last two, with essays from V.K. Ramaswamy on umpiring and Narottam Puri on commentary being the most fascinating.
While Raju Mukherjee’s essay on the pioneers will take you back in time, Shubhangi Kulkarni’s essay on women's cricket will compel you to broaden your perspective. Vijay Lokapally shares the journey of a domestic cricket stalwart Sarkar Talwar who couldn't make it to the highest level.
What I love about anthologies is the freedom they provide to the readers.You can pick any chapter as you please. They are also a good way of acknowledging the efforts of writers in educating cricket fans about the rich history of the game.
This is Venkat 's second book as an editor, the previous one being the Sardar of Spin. He is a former first-class cricketer who knows the game inside out, which also reflects in how he has set the vision for the book.
As a cricket fan, you will get to enjoy the game of only a handful of cricketers in your lifetime. But books such as these will keep reminding us where the game has come from and the contribution of various cricketers towards it. In the words of the editor, “This book is a wonderful window into the past, through which one can look back at the fascinating journey of Indian cricket.”
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews