Pundits from Pakistan: On Tour with India 2003-04

by Rahul Bhattacharya

In 2004 the Indian cricket team headed to Pakistan to play a historic series. Accompanying them was young cricket reporter Rahul Bhattacharya. The mood was tense, with political provocations and security fears. But as the archrivals met on the field, a rare spirit of bonhomie spread throughout the tour. And in streets and homes in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Multan, the author had many warm human encounters that made the tour unforgettable. This book vividly brings alive the magic of cricket, even as it chronicles an emotional and hopeful time, witnessed by a young Indian discovering Pakistan.

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, India, Travel, History, Pakistan, Politics

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Rahul Bhattacharya is a writer, journalist and editor. His first novel, The Sly Company of People Who Care, won the Royal Society of Literature Ondaatje Prize and was shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize. Pundits from Pakistan, his first book, was a Wisden Cricketer top ten cricket book of all time. He was born in Bombay and lives in Delhi with his wife and two daughters.

Reviews

[E.T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 As a teenager, one of my favourite authors was - Sunil Gavaskar. Have read all his 4 books atleast twice. Also, "Sunny Days" was the first cricket tour diary that I read describing India's famous victory in an away series in West Indies in 1971.
While "Sunny Days" allowed me to feel and share d excitement felt by d previous generation, this book made me relive those iconic series wins over Pakistan in 2004. Also, this is part travelogue where d author wanders into the street meeting ppl, and former Pak cricketers/columnists.
The book starts with a brief history of India-Pak cricket and (political) background of this series. And then it is a sophisticated match-by-match coverage interspersed with off the field happenings n travelogue.
The Tendulkar-Dravid controversy over the Multan test declaration was covered in quite some depth. Shoaib Akhtar's nautankis, Inzy quotes, Aaqib Javed, Qadir interview were all fun to read. Commentary n sports-writing is difficult - how not to overstate d obvious without avoiding it altogether, how to add valuable insights for d viewer/reader. This book has done it well.

[Jashan Singhal · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first cricket memory is undoubtedly Indian team touring Pakistan in 2004. This book is an amazing amalgam of cricket writing and travelogue. The author, quite glamorously weaves a complete story out of the 2004 tour while carefully setting the stage as to why this tour was important for both countries, going through each and every match intricately and peppering the chapters with a few interviews here and there.

This book has basically three main facets -

1. Travelogue : This book can also be considered as a travelogue for Pakistan where we get to see a major chunk of day-to-day life in Pakistan through the eyes of the author. He creates a certain milieu about each Pakistan city which he visited and the reader starts associating those characteristics with that particular city. He also interacts with a lot of locals in each city so as to get a general understanding of the air around it. In particular his vivid juxtaposition of Karachi and Bombay was stoking. He describes the city of Multan like this :

‘CHAR CHEEZE tofa-e-Multan/gard, gada, gurmee-o-goristan.’ There are several English versions of this Persian doggerel. The more literal would be: Four things have been gifted to us by Multan/Dust, beggars, heat and graveyards.

2. Cricketing Interviews : The author has a knack for asking the right questions and extracting the right answers from the person being interviewed. He interviews a large number of Pakistani players (of then past and present). He drops by at Danish Kaneria's (the only Hindu player in Pakistani team) home for a chat and cheekily asks his family of which team do they support when India and Pakistan are playing against each other. He talks with the fast bowler prodigy Aaqib Javed and asks him the reason behind the formidable pace attack of Pakistan team since its conception. Then he also interviews the leg-spin legend, Abdul Qadir at his academy and tries to eke out Pakistani secrets. The only Indian cricketer he interviewed was Sourav Ganguly and I was left gasping for more.

3. Cricket Matches : Whatever I say would not be enough about the graphic and evocative description of matches given by the writer. It was almost like I was watching the matches with the eyes of my mind. Since I am out of touch with cricket for a few years now, I had to revise my fielding positions to make sense of the different shots played by the cricketers. Hands down, the author nailed this part of the book. He describes player with such stimulating images (sometimes funny) that it pierces your heart.

Author on VVS Laxman:

Or put it this way: strip away the context, strip away the circumstances, strip away the competition and all the rest of the stuff that really make sport … strip it, strip it, strip it down to a man and a stick and nothing more and the art of VVS barely resonates any less.

Author on Sehwag's carefree style of playing:

Sehwag was still in, still paying heed to the voice of Rafi in his head, ‘Barbadiyon ka sog manana fizul tha/Barbadiyon ka jashn manata chala gaya’ (Futile it was to mourn my ruin/So I kept on celebrating my ruin), and accordingly raised fifty in fifty-five balls with ten fours, none badly hit.

In short, a great book for all cricket lovers and those who want re-live those glorious days of Indian cricket.

[W · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best cricket books I've read.In 2004,
an Indian cricket team was coming to Pakistan for a full tour after fourteen years. Until then,Pakistan had dominated India in bilateral matches.On this tour,the tables were turned.The most intense rivalry in cricket was resumed after a gap of five years.This book is part travelogue,and Bhattacharya's impressions of Pakistani cities are very interesting.
The descriptions of the cricket matches are also very well done.
Refreshingly,it isn't jingoistic as a book of this sort could easily have become.I found myself engrossed,seldom have I found a cricket book so entertaining and in the Indo Pak context,so unbiased.

[Umesh Kesavan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tours to Pakistan have a way of discovering talent. On an earlier occasion, it was Sachin Tendulkar. On this one it has to be Rahul Bhattacharya’ — Suresh Menon, Deccan Herald

Enough said.

[Siddharth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perceptive, breezy, and delightful. Heavily recommended for lovers of cricket and travelogues.

[Vaidya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second book by Rahul Bhattacharya. The first one 'The sly company of people who care' was semi-fiction and although his writing was excellent, it suffered from a severe shallowness of plot. But, when you are writing about an India-Pakistan tour with enough twists and sub-plots to bamboozle even fiction writers, you only have to worry about your writing style. And when that's covered, you already have a good book on your hand.

The 2003-04 series is one of my all time favourite India tours. India won both the ODI and test series after much talk of them being made to wipe the floor. But looking back they probably were lucky to run into one of the weakest Pakistani sides while being at one of their strongest ever themselves. And they were also lucky that Gul got injured before the Pindi test.

Bhattacharya starts right at the political winds at that time, with a now on-now off tour before the PM has to step in and say the final word on it. Then he moves on to his struggles to get a visa to cover the tour, finding the hotel, the team landing, etc. Apart from match reports - which are excellent and almost relive the whole series for you, there are interviews of Shoaib Akthar's family, Aaquib Javed, Abdul Qadir etc in between the matches that keep things interesting.

Yes, there are quite a few pages dedicated to that declaration. And thankfully he writes from his own perspective. How the media and former and current players were happy to jump on it. (The infamous 'Declaration of Independence' by Ian Chappell and Ponting of all people saying "I wouldn't have declared") This is one incident who's resolution Wright, Dravid and Tendulkar would probably take to their graves. And rightly so. Even Wright goes evasive about what really was talked about. But then for the good of the game it was resolved and they got on with it. Kudos to both Dravid and Tendulkar for that.

The best features are of course the match reports and the press conferences. After all these years can appreciate Ganguly's captaincy much better now. You can't help laughing at the excellent playing of the media using his own coterie of journalists. The Nehra 'injury' incident was superbly played. And Bhattacharya's writing style of course only adds to it. He knows how to draw a laugh out. Even about regular things like Inzy's runing, the Dravid-Ganguly running fiascos, etc.

Good stuff! A must read for any cricket fan, I'd say.

[Harini Venkataraman · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the worlds of my favourite hobbies collided, I was sure something could hardly go wrong. The writing was so gripping that it felt like I was a part of the entourage. The match descriptiops were equally thrilling. Now, I am gonna go about recommending this book to every cricket fan.

[Anal Ghosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rahul Bhattacharya’s "Pundits from Pakistan" is far more than a chronicle of a cricket tour; it’s a brilliant, layered travelogue set against the politically charged backdrop of India's historic 2004 visit to Pakistan. While the on-field action is captured with flair – from Sehwag’s monumental triple century and the emergence of Irfan Pathan and L. Balaji’s entertainment, to Inzamam-ul-Haq’s lonely defiance and the constant theatre of Shoaib Akhtar – the book’s true heart lies beyond the boundary rope. Bhattacharya takes the reader on a fascinating journey across the country, sharing his experiences, both delightful and difficult. Through insightful deep-dives with Danish Kaneria & family (as Hindus living in Karachi), Abdul Qadir, and Aaqib Javed, he explores the rustic grassroots of Pakistani cricket, unwrapping the secrets to reverse swing and Pak’s fast bowling tradition, while showcasing the crumbling infrastructure and shady politics surrounding the game.

What elevates this book to a classic of the genre is Bhattacharya’s sublime and witty prose. His writing is not just analytical but deeply humane and observant, capturing the electric atmosphere in the stadiums, the nuances of conversations on the street and the political tensions between the countries with equal elegance. One of the best crafted books on cricket that you’ll come across.

[Amlan Hossain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cricketer is a great leveler indeed. At least for the India's historical tour of Pakistan. The memories became vivid through Rahul's intriguing writing once again. Actually, it is a more than a sports story, a travelogue, a deceptive voyage to the land of complexities and collisions. And Rahul felt it immensely effortless. A wonderful read!

[Aroonav Das · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book/travelogue/reportage on subcontinental cricket ever written.
Bhattacharya's prose is mesmerizing.

[Avnish Anand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book about India’s historic cricket tour of Pakistan in 2004. As it says on the cover, it’s part reportage, part travelogue and part memoir. I have very fond memories of that tour and I may be slightly biased but even then there is no doubt that this is one of the best books ever written about Indian cricket. I will also admit that I enjoyed it more because I have a thing for such memoirs and I am a fan of Pakistani cricket.

When you read an awesome book, then you experience certain emotions and I experienced all of them. I put everything on hold to finish it but at the same time I never wanted it to end. I loved the humour and the honesty of the writing so much that I searched if Rahul Bhattacharya had written any other cricket books that I could read. And I feel in love with Pakistan cricket all over again. I ordered two more books on Pakistan cricket.

The writer captures the tour and it’s moments and characters beautifully. The cricket is covered really well. Even though you know the results, you feel a sense of anticipation and drama. You also get to see everything that happens outside the playing field. The press conferences, the rumours, the chaos of the administration, tension between the players etc.

Rahul is very objective and unbiased. If he shares an example of biased Pakistani umpiring, he also tells us about the laughable episode about an Indian umpire who declares a no ball after the batsman has almost reached the pavilion. His analysis of Dravid’s declaration leaving Tendulkar on 194 is thorough and nuanced.

One of the best parts of the book are the interviews with former cricketers and others associated with the game in Pakistan. Aquib Javed and Abdul Qadir. Shoaib Akhtar’s domestic coach and a lawyer who keeps filing absurd PIL’s against players like Wasim Akram.

There are lots of funny moments and witty writing. I laughed atleast 10-15 times. He knows his cricketing history really well and the book is interspersed with historical references which make the book really enjoyable.

This book also gives a tiny but fair glimpse of the real Pakistan. It’s people and their warmth, it’s cricket, it’s customs and it’s quirks. Pakistan cricket is a beautiful thing. Inspite of no structure and rampant corruption, they produce the most amazing cricketers who have achieved great success. I knew about the culture of tape ball cricket in Pakistan but Bhattacharya shares an interesting insight about its role in producing an assembly line of great pacers.

This book reminds you what we miss without having Pakistan in our cricket watching lives. This is a 5 star book.

[ReadMeIfYouCan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rahul Bhattacharya’s Pundits from Pakistan is not just a chronicle of the Indian cricket team's landmark tour of Pakistan in 2003-04, it is an evocative blend of reportage, nostalgia, and human connection, told with the poetic flair of a true cricket romantic.

What sets this book apart is its ability to function on multiple levels. At its core, it's a detailed journalistic diary of a historic cricket series, where each game, each innings is dissected with a sharp eye and a fan's devotion. The way Bhattacharya writes about innings from the likes of Sehwag, VVS Laxman, and Dravid, one could easily mistake parts of it for literature rather than sports commentary. There’s something lyrical about his cricket writing, it sings, especially to those who know the rhythm of the game.

But Pundits from Pakistan goes beyond the boundary ropes. It is also a travelogue, a political snapshot, and most importantly, a bridge. Despite the ever-present shadow of India-Pakistan tension, the author focuses on the warm, often touching encounters he and others had with the people of Pakistan. His descriptions of kindness, curiosity, and camaraderie challenge the usual narratives and offer a rare humanising glimpse into a nation often seen through a singular lens.

The book doesn’t shy away from pulling back the curtain on Pakistan cricket either. From forgotten legends to the comically dysfunctional episodes within the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Bhattacharya explores the infamous Oxbridge elite that ran the board, the corruption, and the chaos, all with a wry sense of humour and journalistic integrity.

Perhaps the most quietly powerful aspect of the book is how it captures Pakistan itself, not through statistics or policy, but through the eyes of a wandering cricket enthusiast. The country comes alive in his prose, from the bustling streets to cricket grounds teeming with passion, offering readers a rare, deeply personal window into life on the other side of the border.

All in all, I can easily state that this is one of the best cricket books I've ever read and definitely rate it very high.

[Abhishek Shetty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love cricket books. I have read numerous autobiographies. I now wanted to explore the vantage point of a journalist. This was a book that came up again and again in many cricket discourses. I was not disappointed. I think Bhattacharya does an excellent job describing how cricket functions as a sub culture in countries like India and Pakistan. This is an indepth report of India's tour of Pakistan in 2004 which included 5 odi's and 3 test matches. Bhattacharya does a great job giving you an engaging over viewd of the context of each match in this series. He tells you about the background of players leading up to these matches and how their performance shaped their career in the long run. It is really fun to read if you are a cricket fan. What is also special is the historical, cultural and people perspectives he brings to light through this book. He tells you about the history of stadiums and cricket boards. He tells you about the best eateries and sights in each city that is hosting a match. He interviews old cricketers like Aaqib Javed and Abdul Qadir who speak fondly and critically about the past and future of the game. As a cricket fan, I loved this book. I wish there was a book like this for each important cricket tour in the world (Ashes 2005, BGT 2018 etc). Please do commission and send Bhattacharya to these tours and get him to write more cricket books. He truly is a talent we need more writing from.

[Nanta · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I am shamefully late at reading this but the distance in time I think enhanced my experience of the book. I love reading RB's writing on cricket and was already a fan going into this book. This cricket series is one of my favorites that I remember following closely and the book brought back the heady nostalgia of all the hullabaloo that surrounded it. The book is funny, thoughtful, thrilling, sensitive, part travelogue, part match analysis, part memoir and such a fantastic read overall. Despite knowing the outcome of all the matches, the cricketing bits were also thrilling to read. It made me cry and laugh and just soak in the wonderfulness of that time. Pure gold!

P.S - Popsugar 2018 - A book about or involving a sport.

[Talha · Rating 5 out of 5]

A travelogue that leaves no stone unturned to demystify a country in between a historic cricket tour. The phenomenal, adventurous way in which Rahul Bhattacharya traverses the major cities of Pakistan, and the prose that goes down like Rooh Afza on a hot day almost make one forget about the main part of the book.
The match descriptions flow like a summer evening breeze, the perfect mix of letting the action speak for itself and very enriching expansion.
Osman Samiuddin (author of The Unquiet Ones: A History of Pakistan Cricket) described it as the best cricket book ever written. I am sure that, at a future point, when i will be able to make that judgement, i’ll have no choice but to agree.

[Wayne Jordaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite frankly one of the best sports books I have ever read. Rahul Bhattacharya is the guy you want in your company watching a cricket match, because of his knowledge of the game, but more than that, the entertaining way in which he will share his insights. Off course, the Partition, and its consequences, is never far from any discussion of India and Pakistan, and the author does not ignore this, but keep on illustrating the complex relationship wherein the divide is constantly bridged by friendships,respect, tolerance and accommodation of the other.

[Dipra Lahiri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rereading after maybe 10 years, and the book still felt fresh, bringing back memories of what perhaps is India's finest tour, vs. arch rival Pakistan in Pakistan. Superb performances from many players in both sides, both the ODI and Test series could have gone either way. The warmth and generosity of the Pakistanis towards their guests are still remembered. Bhattacharya is a gifted writer with an easy turn of phrase and wit.

[Bharadwaaj Rajan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Niranjan suggested Rahul Bhattacharya when we were en route to Major's quiz at IIM K in 2014. The onward journey was memorable on many counts - but Pundits from Pakistan was a major part of it.

Rahul B writes this more as a journal recounted by a cricket nerd fan and the scorecards and the matches are recounted in specific detail. Enjoyed watching Sehwag's Multan classic and the tension filled 194 from Tendulkar through Rahul's eyes.

[Hetal Sonpal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this book from dear friend Akshay to read and it is marvellous book, considering the fact that I have not read any other book which would have described a cricket series so well as what Rahul has done here. The 2003-04 India's trip to Pakistan was not an ordinary one (as it the case with every series between the two nations. But Rahul's unique description of the events that transpired before during and after the trip make it an even more memorable tour.

[Manas Barpande · Rating 5 out of 5]

From 'Multan ka Sultan' to 'Balaji zara dheere chalo', from the match coverage to press conferences, from the travelogue to inside scoops, this nostalgia-generating machine will take you for a walk down the memory lane while tickling your funny bone all along.
Simply the best book on sports that I've read till now.

[Ramachandra M · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most riveting cricket books with its share of political history and cricket history while revisiting the then most recent India’s tour of Pak, 2004. If not for the author’s fetish to show off his vocabulary, this book would’ve been an even better read. Nonetheless, it’s still a book every cricket fan must read at least once.

[Sai Prashanth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best cricket book I've read. This series was my first proper cricket memory and the author's prose did full justice to what this tour meant, both to me and the larger cricketing community. Would've loved a deeper exploration of the non cricketing elements looming large in the background. Nonetheless a thoroughly satisfying read.

[Savil Srivastava · Rating 4 out of 5]

re-read this book after 10 years during my summer vacation. It's not gonna win literature prizes but the writing is delightful and the characters (both on the cricket field and outside) are hilarious, and evocative of the tour. Look forward to re-reading in 2030.

[Venkataragavan · Rating 5 out of 5]

That we see, learn, and live so little of a cricket team going on tour to another country, can be understood when one reads this book.

And when the teams are India and Pakistan, and we are entertained even without knowing all its undercurrents, says enough of what sport can and cannot do!

[Anand Kailasam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book. Beautiful writing about a great series for India. A series win in Pak following a 1-1 draw in Aus was the second greatest away sequence for India after 1971-72. In 2023, we are upset with a series draw against England. Indian Test team has come far. :-)

[Ashish · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful read detailing the authors travels in Pakistan where he went to cover India's historic tour of 2004. The best bits are the ones where Bhattacharya wanders between games to discover Pakistan, talks to locals, and tastes some great food in the bazaars of Karachi & Lahore.

[Denis Southall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyable telling of the Indian tour of Pakistan in 2004. Descriptions of the cricket are set in the political, social, spatial and historical context making it highly entertaining. Some nice wee bits of humour in there too.

[Ashnil Dixit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun trip down memory lane. Having been a keen follower of both teams over the years this is a rare book that manages to shed some new light on them and also capture their essence

[Rohit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delicious read. Thank you Rahul!

[Rahul Krishna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book documenting a unforgettable cricket tour