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Eleven: Triumphs, Trials and Turbulence
The oft-repeated screen shot of Sourav Ganguly swirling his Indian blue jersey after that improbable victory against England at Lord's in 2002 in the Natwest trophy remains one of the most ineffaceable images of Indian cricket. That astounding result was to further fuel a resurgent India into believing in scripting the impossible which resulted in its graphic ascendancy during an exciting though eventful phase peppered with equally unwarranted controversies. But the spectacular albeit unexpected crowning as T20 world champions dramatically altered the cricket landscape altogether. The formidable influence of the cash rich BCCI was now further bolstered by the birth of it's baby with a golden spoon in the mouth, the IPL. Cricket would perhaps never be the same again.Players were put up for commercial sale under the hammer of an auctioneer and the new stakeholders of cricket were powerful business barons and celebrity superstars. Cheerleaders descended and danced on Indian turf as the famous Indian summer became a global cricket carnival. It was for the purists, literally, the theatre of the absurd. Despite the distracting, alluring luster of lucre Indian cricket thrived under MS Dhoni's extraordinary leadership. But how sustainable will be India's recent successes?
Sanjay Jha gives an outsider's insight into the crazy conundrum that is Indian cricket, writing in his refreshingly honest style, imbibing his provocative essays with facts, figures and fun but not once flinching from belling the cat. As Jha explores the happenings of the past examines the future of world cricket, Eleven becomes a remarkably riveting cricket book, entertaining and thought-provoking, insightful and compelling.
Sanjay Jha gives an outsider's insight into the crazy conundrum that is Indian cricket, writing in his refreshingly honest style, imbibing his provocative essays with facts, figures and fun but not once flinching from belling the cat. As Jha explores the happenings of the past examines the future of world cricket, Eleven becomes a remarkably riveting cricket book, entertaining and thought-provoking, insightful and compelling.
282 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 27, 2023
"IPL will fail, fall and falter because of its own myopic misplaced obsessions."
Mediocre writing and views are sometimes funny.
Sanjay Jha is a businessman, co-founder of Cricketnext.com (now a part of Network 18 media group) and the former spokesperson and expelled party leader from Indian National Congress. In this book, he drones and drones about the BCCI muscle power, IPL, Lalit Modi and many political maneuverings within BCCI. Then, as a typical intellectual who lost the touch with the ground reality, he cries about the unfairness of not including Pakistani players in IPL 2009 and beyond. On one hand, he acknowledges the sacrifice of the Ashok Chakra awardee ASI Tukaram Omble to gather evidence against Pakistan for the terrorist attack of 26/11 and on the other hand, he wants Pakistani players to enjoy the riches of IPL.
There are a few factual incorrectness, where Sanjay Jha mentions India scored 18 runs off the first over in the World Cup 2003 match vs Pakistan where Sachin Tendulkar scored a match winning 98. No, it was only 9. Then, he blasted Team India for not winning a single match and got Whitewashed in New Zealand in late 2002. However, we won a couple of ODIs. Probably, an average reader might not get irritated with such small mistakes but a die hard cricket fan will definitely get triggered.
Additionally, I have found the tone as a bit patronizing, mocking and smirking against the common Indian public.
Nevertheless, there are some good essays here - the one about Raj Singh Dungarpur and the first one about Sourav Ganguly.
I didn't know that Cricketnext.com sponsored this Asia XI vs Rest of the World XI match in Dhaka in 2000 which I had watched live and had fond memories of.
Anyway, thankfully I am the only person who is writing a review for this book and I hope it remains like that only.
Mediocre writing and views are sometimes funny.
Sanjay Jha is a businessman, co-founder of Cricketnext.com (now a part of Network 18 media group) and the former spokesperson and expelled party leader from Indian National Congress. In this book, he drones and drones about the BCCI muscle power, IPL, Lalit Modi and many political maneuverings within BCCI. Then, as a typical intellectual who lost the touch with the ground reality, he cries about the unfairness of not including Pakistani players in IPL 2009 and beyond. On one hand, he acknowledges the sacrifice of the Ashok Chakra awardee ASI Tukaram Omble to gather evidence against Pakistan for the terrorist attack of 26/11 and on the other hand, he wants Pakistani players to enjoy the riches of IPL.
There are a few factual incorrectness, where Sanjay Jha mentions India scored 18 runs off the first over in the World Cup 2003 match vs Pakistan where Sachin Tendulkar scored a match winning 98. No, it was only 9. Then, he blasted Team India for not winning a single match and got Whitewashed in New Zealand in late 2002. However, we won a couple of ODIs. Probably, an average reader might not get irritated with such small mistakes but a die hard cricket fan will definitely get triggered.
Additionally, I have found the tone as a bit patronizing, mocking and smirking against the common Indian public.
Nevertheless, there are some good essays here - the one about Raj Singh Dungarpur and the first one about Sourav Ganguly.
I didn't know that Cricketnext.com sponsored this Asia XI vs Rest of the World XI match in Dhaka in 2000 which I had watched live and had fond memories of.
Anyway, thankfully I am the only person who is writing a review for this book and I hope it remains like that only.
Displaying 1 of 1 review