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Playing with Fire
Nasser Hussain was acclaimed as England's best cricket captain since Mike Brearley. Under his leadership, a side more famous for its batting collapses and ability to seize defeat from the jaws of victory discovered its backbone. With coach Duncan Fletcher he put some steel into the side; they became a difficult team to beat.
Hussain wore his heart on his sleeve: railing against complacency, defying critics of his place in the batting line-up and making a principled stand at the last World Cup when the ECB seemed incapable of it.
Expect passion, integrity, insight and candour in his eagerly awaited autobiography.
498 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 14, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 6, 2024
Another Essex cricketer, following Derek Pringle, who had significantly more success at the international level, ascending to the very top as English captain. A couple of striking aspects - (a) the intensity of politics in the English cricket system, and (b) the prescient observations on James Anderson.
April 29, 2025
Really enjoyed this book as there seemed to be incident or a good story on every page. A great insight into a complex character who wasn't afraid to give an honest opinion on others or himself! Fascinating to learn about his upbringing and the impact his Dad had on his character, career and overall life choices. I enjoyed the conversational style of writing as it read like you were listening to Nasser on TV. Would highly recommend this book to any English cricket fan, especially anyone who followed during the 90s/00s as England veered away from shambolic to professionalism.
July 5, 2020
Very readable and very honest. To be honest the England Test Cricket Captaincy seems a rather poisoned chalice with the amount of pressure it puts on individuals. The politics were also interesting, seems incredible how much was left to the players around the situation with Zimbabwe in the World Cup.
September 2, 2022
I always associate Nasser Hussain instantly with the India-England series in 2001 where he set the perceived negative field for Sachin Tendulkar (in a Jardinesque manner) and was actually able to get him out stumped, the only one of his career. This elevated my respect for Nasser Hussain as a captain, someone you would hate as an opponent but respect him nonetheless. For sure you wanted him in your side as a fighter and able to pull punches when required. This autobiography aptly reflects the person and the personality and he doesn’t hold back his thoughts on himself and nor on others.
The book follows a linear format except for the 1st chapter focussed on the 2003 World Cup situation on the decision to not play Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe. The inner turmoil is well reflected along with the clashes with the bigwigs from ECB and ICC. Nasser then takes through his childhood- again an eye opener on the relationship with his father, Indian who married an English lady and migrated to England from Chennai. There were many facets which were unknown especially as he started as a leg spin bowler, lost his action and transformed into a batsman fairly late into his childhood. The influence of his father both in a good way and not so great way is very evident in the narrative.
Post his transition to England team, he takes us through a lot of key events, interaction with key characters- Graham Gooch, Keith and Duncan Fletcher. The content is just right enough to give sufficient details about the matches but also giving us the behind the scenes of the dressing room and Nasser himself as a batsman and captain. You are able to associate with lot of things he mentions for e.g. Playing well on tough pitches as he would have nothing to lose. You also get to see some of his leadership characteristics- being a straight shooter, caring for his team, every person being a different character who needs to be understood and nurtured and so on. He also brings about the human face of the cricketers which we many times as spectators think of them as machines without understanding the inner turmoil and workings.
He doesn’t hold back on his relationship with key players, selectors etc and he could have made the context more diplomatic in nature given that he had just retired when he wrote the book, but true to his personality he says what it is, either we take it or leave it. It will be interesting to know if his opinion has changes on some of the key characters like Muralitharan which he has interacted quite a bit in his media role. He also has the ability to recognize his own abilities, limitations, strengths and weakness and that’s not something everyone would be able to maintain in such a competitive and high-pressure environment.
It is nice to see the book being supplemented by photographs capturing key moments from Nasser’s life both personal and professional. I also enjoyed the narrative and photographs from the India tour of 2001 interacting with his Indian side of the family and coming back to his roots as a England captain, which seem to be fulfilling for him and his father.
Highly recommended for everyone who has seen Nasser as a batsman, captain and also in a media role post his retirement, to understand the player and personality even better.
The book follows a linear format except for the 1st chapter focussed on the 2003 World Cup situation on the decision to not play Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe. The inner turmoil is well reflected along with the clashes with the bigwigs from ECB and ICC. Nasser then takes through his childhood- again an eye opener on the relationship with his father, Indian who married an English lady and migrated to England from Chennai. There were many facets which were unknown especially as he started as a leg spin bowler, lost his action and transformed into a batsman fairly late into his childhood. The influence of his father both in a good way and not so great way is very evident in the narrative.
Post his transition to England team, he takes us through a lot of key events, interaction with key characters- Graham Gooch, Keith and Duncan Fletcher. The content is just right enough to give sufficient details about the matches but also giving us the behind the scenes of the dressing room and Nasser himself as a batsman and captain. You are able to associate with lot of things he mentions for e.g. Playing well on tough pitches as he would have nothing to lose. You also get to see some of his leadership characteristics- being a straight shooter, caring for his team, every person being a different character who needs to be understood and nurtured and so on. He also brings about the human face of the cricketers which we many times as spectators think of them as machines without understanding the inner turmoil and workings.
He doesn’t hold back on his relationship with key players, selectors etc and he could have made the context more diplomatic in nature given that he had just retired when he wrote the book, but true to his personality he says what it is, either we take it or leave it. It will be interesting to know if his opinion has changes on some of the key characters like Muralitharan which he has interacted quite a bit in his media role. He also has the ability to recognize his own abilities, limitations, strengths and weakness and that’s not something everyone would be able to maintain in such a competitive and high-pressure environment.
It is nice to see the book being supplemented by photographs capturing key moments from Nasser’s life both personal and professional. I also enjoyed the narrative and photographs from the India tour of 2001 interacting with his Indian side of the family and coming back to his roots as a England captain, which seem to be fulfilling for him and his father.
Highly recommended for everyone who has seen Nasser as a batsman, captain and also in a media role post his retirement, to understand the player and personality even better.
January 17, 2023
Great autobiography of a British Indian cricketer who is very skilful and talented. His captaincy of the English National side is commendable as well. This is great for cricket enthusiasts. Nasser Hussain is a great cricketer of yesteryear.
October 25, 2017
Splendid.....An absorbing life story.
December 21, 2019
The ending got to long
October 29, 2020
Excellent book
August 21, 2012
Love this. As a cricket tragic and a big fan of Nasser's ability to lead and manage individuals, I learnt a lot from him. I still maintain he changed, alongside Duncan Fletcher, the fabric of English test cricket and paved the way for the success achieved under Michael Vaughan, Andrew Strauss etc. While his record as a batsmen isn't amazing, he played in a testing time for England where they were, at times, the whipping boys in international cricket. Great read into a man who changed the face of the ECB and consequently, the first man of Asian background to captain England. If that isn't progress, tell me what is.
May 8, 2008
As a passionate cricket fan it felt fascinating to read into a professional cricketers life. I chose Nas because of his roots in India and him being an insprirational captain.
International 'team' sport is just not the skill and talent you contribute but to also cope with political and soicial pressure. One has to extremely lucky to find him/herself at the right time in the right place on top of possessing the skill.
International 'team' sport is just not the skill and talent you contribute but to also cope with political and soicial pressure. One has to extremely lucky to find him/herself at the right time in the right place on top of possessing the skill.
November 6, 2016
Don't usually read sporting bios but always thought a lot of Nasser and he took England through some interesting times. 4 stars for content, but 2 for writing, which is not his fault but down to the ghost-writer/editor, though I suspect deliberately 'conversational' - just a shame it made it so repetitive and badly phrased.
June 28, 2017
Perfectly readable and you really do hear Nasser's voice in your head as you read. Not exceptionally revelatory or interesting however. For someone who continually refers to themselves as being seen as a troublemaker, the odd gripe at administrators aside, you feel Nasser is being far too diplomatic. Too much 'so and so was a great bloke, but.....'
January 21, 2025
Well it is my favourite autobiography but I've only read two as of right now. Its great to see the same personality and character I see on sky sports being shown here even if it is a few years before. So good to see the stories of English cricketers past and Nasser does just bring a great insight into his temperament and attitude towards cricket.
May 14, 2010
The brutally honest cricket memoir of former England cricket captain Nasser Hussain. This was one of the better cricket biographies that I've read and I recommend it.
February 24, 2011
very good covering Englands transition into a decent side
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews