Review: Cricket! all you wanted to know about the World Cup

Author: Diptakirti Chaudhuri
Publisher: Penguin Books India
Year: 2011
ISBN: 9780143331612
Rating:

Did you know that Sachin Tendulkar was the first batsman to be given out based on a TV replay? Fancy a game of fantasy cricket? What do the terms – bosie and Emperor’s pair mean? Who was the first pinch – hitter in Indian cricket? How about a quick intro to cricket related books, films and video games? ‘Diptakirti Chaudhuri’s ‘Cricket! all you wanted to know about the World Cup’ has bite sized bits on everything in Indian cricket. Starting with trivia on the history of the game, the book also provides match analyses of the World Cups gone by – especially the 1983 World Cup which had India bringing home the trophy. There are detailed accounts of India’s no hope victories – Diptakirti Chaudhuri brings alive parts of cricketing history for those who weren’t there to see it. Whether you love cricket and can’t get enough of it or collect trivia for quizzes or simply want the highlights of the World Cup past and present, this is the book to buy. Read Cricket! chronologically or browse through random chapters. Either way, cricket fans will find loads of information about the World Cup including individual pages on the debuts, averages, memorable performances and more of the 15 Men in Blue who will be carrying India’s billion hopes on the cricket field. There are separate chapters devoted to the man whom India reveres – Sachin Tendulkar, of course. Cricketing legends including Donald Bradman, Sunil Gavaskar and Shane Warne tell us how they also believe in Sachin’s brilliance. There is trivia in the chapter titled 7 things About Sachin You (Probably) Didn’t Know!, 8 unforgettable innings of Sachin Tendulkar and a list of the few records that Sachin is yet to break. A true treat for all fans of the Little Master! Cricket! also serves as a handy guide to the teams in the World Cup, their past records, their players to watch out for and provides predictions on how well they are likely to in the current series. Also given are the match schedules and to make it more interactive, columns in which the readers can add their predictions and write down who the actual winner of the match is and space to write down the points tally of each team – all ensuring that Cricket! is an essential tool while watching the World Cup! With quirky illustrations by Dipankar Bhattacharya, Cricket! is a comprehensive guide to both the past and the present of the game.