Shane Watson has had a successful career playing for Australia as well as for various franchises in the T20 leagues across the globe. A chance encounter with IndyCar champion Will Power made him realize the importance of mental training, which he was quick to incorporate in his personal and professional life. This book is his attempt to decipher the techniques using which we can train our mind to unlock our skill set and unleash the best version of ourselves.
1997, Colombo. The Sri Lanka team of the 90’s had a certain aura and class about them. They won the World Cup in 1996 and had a formidable leader in Arjuna Ranatunga. In the first Test of the 1997 tour, Sri Lanka put a record 952 on the board. The fans watched in despair as the batters decimated the Indian bowlers.
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.
The Lords of Wankhede by W.V. Raman and R. Kaushik documents the transformative journey of Indian cricket between the two World Cup victories of 1983 and 2011. The authors have meticulously chosen events and stories that contributed towards the growth of Indian cricket in these 28 years.
The Ellis Park saga that unfolded during the Christmas of 1953 is one of the most inspiring stories to come out of New Zealand cricket. We do not remember the match for its dramatic finish or insatiable records but for the heroic defiance of two Kiwi batters - one battling a physical tragedy while the other dealt with a personal loss. This is a story about the men who forgot to look up the word ‘surrender’ in the dictionary.
“Those two little pals of mine, Ramadhin and Valentine” were the lines from the famous song that echoed in the outfield of Lord's. The year was 1950 and the West Indies had just won their first Test on English soil. It took them 22 years to break the English juggernaut. Today's story is about another such conquest. A victory worth inspiring a Calypso.
A cricketer stopping time. Forcing people to skip work to watch him bat. I’m sure the first name that comes to your mind is of Sachin Tendulkar. And rightly so. He indeed captured the imagination of the nation in ways few batters have. But this story is not about him.
Growing up as a kid, I loved collecting posters of my favorite cricketers. In the late 90's and early 2000's, there would hardly be any Indian home not having Sachin Tendulkar on their walls. The trend has only grown since.
Wasim Akram mastered the toughest known art in cricket - swing. More so reverse swing. Today's generation might not understand. It was beauty, grace and thrill combined, ball after ball. If Sachin's straight drive had the power to stop time, so did Akram's swingers. Who can forget the way he set up Dravid during the tour of 1999. Genius.
A well-made sports documentary wields power to bridge boundaries between an athlete and the fans in a way very few things can. It simply humanizes the entire journey and acts as a reality check for the fans to look at the life of their favourite player from a broader perspective. And most importantly, it allows you to look at sport as more than a win-loss binary.
India and Australia. Top two ranked teams. Delhi. Fortress since 1987. Hosting a Test after 6 years. The hype was real. All the makings of a blockbuster. I made it a point to not miss it at any cost. Booked the North West Stand Ground Floor. Was fortunate to get the stand of our choice. Because the economical tickets didn't last too long.
When Ajaz Patel boarded the flight to India, little did he know that he would be returning as a member of the coveted ‘10 wickets in an innings’ club. Only the third bowler after Jim Laker and Anil Kumble to have achieved the magnanimous feat, Patel’s homecoming is now etched in cricket folklore. But more on that later.
Indian hockey team once used to reign supreme at the world stage. In a strongly worded praise of Indian hockey players, a Dutch journalist once wrote,
Indian Cricket has grown leaps and bounds and stands as a major force to reckon with today. But it's been a long journey that has seen it's share of ups and downs.
The story of the inception of cricket in Madras began with the arrival of the East India Company, as it set out to develop coastal regions of India into ports for trade purposes. Madras acted as the gateway to South India and Europeans flocked the city for work opportunities.
There is a famous Paulo Coehlo quote. "When you really desire something from the heart and soul, all the universe conspires you to achieve it". I heard it for the first time in 2007. But realized its meaning only on the night of April 2, 2011.
Whenever I hear about the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21, I am reminded of the early morning viewings, David vs Goliath narrative and triumph of the human spirit. But there has been an urge to know more. How these men went beyond their call of duty to give cricket fans across the globe a cricket tour that will go down in history as one of the best. Enters, The Miracle Makers by Bharat Sundaresan and Gaurav Joshi.
January 1993. Benson and Hedges World Series Cup. Australia was taking on the West Indies for the first final. Two spirited personalities - Dean Jones and Curtly Ambrose came against each other. Not exactly for conventional reasons. Chasing 240, Dean Jones walked out to bat at the loss of David Boon’s wicket.
Opportunity. It knocks on your door in unimaginable ways. Invisible to most. Sighted by a few. And those who do, create history. India's tour of Australia 2020-2021. Three individuals made their debut. And one made his debut across all formats. Unprecedented but true.
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Destiny. William Shakespeare is known to have famously remarked “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves”. Let’s go back to Melbourne, 1873 to make sense of this statement, when Albert Trott was born. In his debut for Australia in 1895, he earned himself “One of the finest cricketers Australia has ever produced,” compliment from the England skipper.
