Indian Innings: The Journey of Indian Cricket from 1947
By Ayaz Memon
The story of Indian cricket is, in so many ways, the story of the nation itself. It is also a game that has inspired some of the most insightful writing across all genres. Indian Innings collects some of the finest samples of this writing, thoughtfully curated by Ayaz Memon, one of India’s foremost sports journalists. The Tendulkar Era, the epic Eden Gardens win in 2001, the 2007 T20 World Cup win, the emergence of the IPL, the 2011 World Cup win, the Dhoni captaincy era, the victory in Australia in 2021 and much more. Equally, the book wrestles with the game’s difficult history. The ‘Summer of 42’, the match-fixing issue, the Greg Chappell saga, the Lalit Modi affair and more, are addressed in pieces by Bishan Singh Bedi, Aniruddha Bahal, Pradeep Magazine, Sriram Veera, among others. To round off these fine offerings is Clayton Murzello’s carefully prepared ‘Milestones’ section—a superb snapshot view of the last 75 years. As complete a picture of post-independence cricketing history as one could hope for, this riveting volume promises hours of reading pleasure for every cricket fan.
Sachin and Azhar at Cape Town – Indian Edition: Indian and South African Cricket Through the Prism of a Partnership
by Arunabha Sengupta and Abhishek Mukherjee
Sachin and Azhar at Cape Town is the story of an incredible partnership between Tendulkar and Azharuddin in the Newlands Test of 1997. With Nelson Mandela watching on – he met the players during lunch that day – the pair added a magical 222 in 40 overs, treating the lethal bowling attack with disdain. Arunabha Sengupta and Abhishek Mukherjee relive the partnership, recounting and analysing every stroke, but as they do, they also bring to life the cricket, history and society of the two countries. Covering a multitude of topics as diverse as apartheid, Mandela and Gandhi, Indians in South Africa; cricket isolation and non-white cricket in South Africa, rebel tours; the television revolution and commercialisation of cricket; with other historical details and numerical analysis of the game supporting the text, this is a fascinating snapshot of cricket at that time through the prism of that impressive sixth-wicket stand.
The Match: The Story of Italy v Brazil
By Piero Trellini
The Match is the tale of one of the most iconic games in World Cup history: Italy v Brazil at Spain ’82. Piero Trellini delves into the stories of the great characters who lit up that unforgettable match – from Paolo Rossi to Sócrates, from Enzo Bearzot to Zico – as well as some forgotten figures who all played their part. The book takes us on a fascinating journey through the 1982 Mundial, exploring the football scene of the day and dishing out fascinating anecdotes on the various historical and sporting links between the two countries. Italy, a nation historically at the forefront of football, did not arrive in Spain as favourites, with widespread doubts about their chances, even in the Italian press. This is one of the reasons why their triumph that summer is still celebrated in Italy above other historic victories by the Azzurri. Following that momentous win, Italy would become the favourite destination for Europe and South America’s greatest players.
The Three Lives of the Kaiser
By Ulli Hesse
Franz Beckenbauer – known as ‘the Kaiser’ – is Germany’s greatest-ever footballer and one of the game’s biggest icons of all time, a World Cup winner as player and manager. But what is often described as a blessed life has in fact been a rollercoaster ride with stunning highs and bitter lows. He rose to fame at the 1966 World Cup in England, where after West Germany’s final defeat the British press marvelled at the grace of a ‘beaten but proud Prussian officer’. Yet there was nothing Prussian about the Bavarian boy who flouted authority, disregarded rules and viewed the traditional German work ethic with the disdain of someone to whom everything comes naturally. After a glittering early career at Bayern Munich – captaining them to three European Cup victories and pioneering the playmaking libero role in central defence – Beckenbauer made a controversial move to the recently formed New York Cosmos in 1977. Back home, though, people often wondered what to make of this most famous German athlete who was so un-German. In The Three Lives of the Kaiser, leading football writer Uli Hesse gives us the definitive biography of this truly remarkable legend.
Jan Ullrich: The Best There Never Was
By Daniel Friebe
Jan Ullrich: The Best There Never Was is the first biography of Jan Ullrich, arguably the most naturally talented cyclist of his generation, and also one of the most controversial champions of the Tour de France. ‘Magnificent’ – Matt Dickinson, The Times ‘A superlative biography as well as social and sporting history’ – The Observer In 1997, Jan Ullrich announced himself to the world by obliterating his rivals at the Tour de France and becoming Germany’s first ever winner. Everyone agreed: Jan Ullrich would dominate the future of cycling. But he never quite managed it. This is a gripping account of how unbearable expectation, mental and physical fragility, the effects of a complicated childhood, a morally corrupt sport and one individual – Lance Armstrong – can conspire to reroute destiny. Acclaimed journalist Daniel Friebe takes us from the legacy of East Germany’s drugs programme to the pinnacle of pro cycling and asks: what price can you give sporting immortality?
Twice upon a Time: India’s Fairytale Cricket Victories of 1971
By Nishaf Pai Vaidya and Sachin Bajaj
The year 1971 is considered an epochal moment in Indian history. A young nation was finding its feet on the world stage and building confidence to face challenges. On the political front, India took a giant leap with its firm stance in its conflict with Pakistan, which eventually led to the creation of Bangladesh. Ajit Wadekar and his men clinched series victories in the West Indies and England, thereby showing the world that India was ready for the big stage. A young Sunil Gavaskar exuded the confidence of the youth, willing to break the shackles. The veteran Dilip Sardesai symbolised India’s inherent grit, while the likes of BS Chandrasekhar, Erapalli Prasanna and Bishan Singh Bedi represented brilliance in craft. All these qualities combined to help India achieve its finest hour in its cricket history until then. Indian cricket has achieved a lot since, but it all started with 1971. As we mark 50 years of those great triumphs, this book brings to you a collection of 71 anecdotes from Indian cricket’s special year – 1971.
Speed Merchants: The Story of Indian Pace Bowling 1886 to 2019
By Gulu Ezekiel and Vijay Lakopally
Indian cricket was traditionally known for its spin bowling. All that changed with the advent of the magnificent Kapil Dev in 1978. The floodgates really opened in the new millennium with Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan leading a revolution that today sees India’s pace attack as among the best in the world. But how many know that from the late 19th century right till the 1940s it was fast bowlers that shaped the early years of Indian cricket? From Pavri and Bulsara to Nissar and Amar Singh, batsmen from around the world found Indian pace bowling too hot to handle.
Glory after Gloom, A Decadal Chronicle of Indian Women’s Hockey 2010 to 2020
By K Arumugam
This is a journey with Indian women’s hockey for the last 10 years. It chronicles each and every tournament the women have taken part in since 2010; dwells on how they fared, evaluates significance in winning and losing, with an eye for detail. Each player’s career, profile, entry into the international area and their growth are traced and presented with compassion.
Besides the team’s performance in international forums, how select players evolved from wannabe to winning mascots is a natural corollary to the extensive work. The second part of the chronicle is devoted to statistics, a veritable treasure trove.
1992: The Birth Of Modern Football
By Rob Fletcher
1992: The Birth of Modern Football brings to life the key events from one of the most important years in football history. After the huge success of Italia ’90 and the potential to show football around the world on TV, law makers, chairmen and players ushered in monumental changes to the structure of the game. Everyone remembers the first year of the Premier League, but changes to the backpass rule and the arrival of the newly branded Champions League would have a seismic effect on football. On the pitch, Italian clubs spent huge sums as they bolstered their squads for success at home and abroad. In England, Leeds and Manchester United were battling at the top of the league for the final season in the First Division. That sliding-doors moment really did have a huge impact on Alex Ferguson’s men. To add to the growing changes, the revolution was televised. 1992: The Birth of Modern Football transports you back to the year that changed football forever.
The Greatest Show on Earth: The Inside Story of the Legendary 1970 World Cup
By Rob Fletcher
The 1970 World Cup is widely regarded as the greatest ever staged, with more goals per game than any World Cup since. But more than just the proliferation of goals was the quality of the overall football, as some of the finest teams ever to represent the likes of West Germany, Peru, Italy and England came together for a tilt at the world title. But at the heart of the tournament were Brazil; captained by Carlos Alberto and featuring legends like Pelé, Gérson, Jairzinho, Rivellino and Tostão, the 1970 Seleção are often cited as the greatest-ever World Cup team.
Using brand new interviews alongside painstaking archival research, Andrew Downie charts each stage of the tournament, from the preparations to the final, telling a host of remarkable stories in the players’ own words. The result is an immediate, insightful and compelling narrative that paints a unique portrait of an extraordinary few weeks when football hit peaks it has seldom reached since. This is Mexico 1970. Welcome to the Greatest Show on Earth.