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The State League
351 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 31, 2026
I don’t play football; I don’t even watch football.
Despite that, I was sucked into yet another brilliant book by Mallika Ravikumar – The State League.
To be fair, considering how much I have enjoyed nearly everything she’s written, I expected to enjoy this one too. What I didn’t bargain for was how unputdownable the book would be, drawing me into its drama, emotion and layering.
Prithvi from The District Cup is back. He’s now being trained at Elite Sports F.C. in football-crazy Goa. He’s talented, ambitious and hardworking–-all characteristics that ought to stand him in good stead as the world of football rolls open before him.
But bring in age-cheating and match-fixing, and the picture grows ugly. First with bewilderment and then with utter shock, Prithvi discovers how murky the world of betting is, and how far-reaching. Match fixing isn’t restricted to huge matches with big stakes. It’s happening right before him, in tiny local matches being played by obscure teams.
Mallika Ravikumar weaves together a range of themes to present a sensitive, layered story. Set against the backdrop of the violence in Manipur, she shows us that match fixing is far more complex than it seems. When manipulators tap into the vulnerabilities of young children, who really is to blame? The child who accepts 20k to let a goal in, or those who cash in on illegal betting?
In a story rich with metaphors, we look at the multi-faceted world of sport.
“Football” is more relevant than “women’s football”.
Optics are more important than ethics.
Manipur is a powerhouse for Indian football, but most players can’t even name its capital.
Hard-hitting and compelling, The State League is an eye-opening read that beautifully handles heavy themes with the lightest possible touch. Through Prithvi, we feel the lure of the game, the excitement and the magic. And it is the thrill of the sport that keeps us reading all the way till the very last page.
Despite that, I was sucked into yet another brilliant book by Mallika Ravikumar – The State League.
To be fair, considering how much I have enjoyed nearly everything she’s written, I expected to enjoy this one too. What I didn’t bargain for was how unputdownable the book would be, drawing me into its drama, emotion and layering.
Prithvi from The District Cup is back. He’s now being trained at Elite Sports F.C. in football-crazy Goa. He’s talented, ambitious and hardworking–-all characteristics that ought to stand him in good stead as the world of football rolls open before him.
But bring in age-cheating and match-fixing, and the picture grows ugly. First with bewilderment and then with utter shock, Prithvi discovers how murky the world of betting is, and how far-reaching. Match fixing isn’t restricted to huge matches with big stakes. It’s happening right before him, in tiny local matches being played by obscure teams.
Mallika Ravikumar weaves together a range of themes to present a sensitive, layered story. Set against the backdrop of the violence in Manipur, she shows us that match fixing is far more complex than it seems. When manipulators tap into the vulnerabilities of young children, who really is to blame? The child who accepts 20k to let a goal in, or those who cash in on illegal betting?
In a story rich with metaphors, we look at the multi-faceted world of sport.
“Football” is more relevant than “women’s football”.
Optics are more important than ethics.
Manipur is a powerhouse for Indian football, but most players can’t even name its capital.
Hard-hitting and compelling, The State League is an eye-opening read that beautifully handles heavy themes with the lightest possible touch. Through Prithvi, we feel the lure of the game, the excitement and the magic. And it is the thrill of the sport that keeps us reading all the way till the very last page.
September 9, 2026
Mallika Ravikumar’s The State League is an engaging young-adult sports novel that successfully combines the excitement of football with questions of friendship, loyalty, ambition and integrity. The story follows Prithvi as he returns to Elite Sports F.C., hoping to prove himself, only to discover that the beautiful game has a darker side involving match-fixing, pressure and difficult moral choices.
One of the book’s strengths is its fast-moving, accessible writing. Football terminology, lively exchanges and short bursts of dialogue create the immediacy of being on the field. Lines such as “Chalo guys, warm-up!” and “Full fight again, boss” give the characters an energetic, youthful voice. The dialogue also helps reveal relationships and tensions without excessive exposition.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews