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When I was Asked To Review A Book on Cricket!



It was on a cold December morning that I read an email asking me if I would like to review a book on Cricket. Coming from an editor who takes her work very seriously, this gave me a pause.  I couldn’t help but wonder why she would ask me, of all people, to review a book on sports! I am not much of a sports fan. I have never written on sports before. Fiction, yes, parenting, oh, yes; general book reviews, definitely yes! But sports? And that too, Cricket?

Growing up, I’d always seen my dad scold my brother for ‘wasting his time’ watching ball-by-ball play of one-day matches when he would watch cricket instead of studying for his exams. I remember hiding the remote from my brother just so I could watch HBO and not let him watch cricket. But of course, marriage, as we all know, is a game changer. After I was married, I was introduced to the world of cricket. No, my husband isn’t a big cricket fan or anything, he doesn’t watch ball-by-ball matches either, but he does watch the ‘matches that matter,’ as he puts it. And it was with him that I began to enjoy the T-20 matches – and l also found that I liked some cricketers (no, not for their game or anything, but because I liked what they are, as people, in their general lives.)  

So, coming back to the question of reviewing a book on cricket, I was sceptical. And not in the least because it was the end of the year, the school was closing soon, and as a rule, I do not take up any work during school holidays if I can help it. I also had guests at home; and the house, as my mind space, was crowded, noisy, and completely chaotic. At a time like that, agreeing to take up a book for review – any book – was really out of the question. And here I was, being offered a book on cricket!  

But I agreed. And today, having reviewed  FreeHit for Women’s Web, I want to thank the editor for getting me to do this! Because this book gave me a completely different perspective and taught me a lot! Not merely about cricket, but about life in general. For one, this inspiring book, is not merely on cricket, it is on women’s cricket. And that is very different from the usual cricket that we are used to seeing and enjoying on TV. But apart from that, this book is also a familiar tale. A tale we have often heard, of gender-bias, and complete apathy and lack of confidence towards the feminine gender. And it is a sheer joy to see the women emerging winners in the end.

Just so you get an idea of the feelings this book left me with, let me leave you with a few lines of my review on Women’s Web: “Do You Know That Indian Women’s Cricket Began As ‘Kanyaon Ki Cricket?”:
“There is no doubt that women’s cricket has met with gender-based challenges like lack of sponsorship, and the utter apathy of the administrators of the game, in our country. But no matter how much negativity surrounds them, the India women’s team is ready to scale newer heights!
After all, the truth, as Suprita Das says in the book, is: “India’s women cricketers have beaten all odds to make it this far. To send them back to the dressing room now, is going to be impossible.””

Comments

  1. Get you Rashmi, I would probably have been skeptical too if I had to review a book on Cricket. Womens cricket sure isnt a popular choice among many. I just read your reivew on wmens web, and wasnt aware that Womens cricket existed since 1971! Intersting to note that it speaks of the various players, whom most arent aware. Surely seems to be worth a read!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for reading Ramya. Yes, the book was a revelation for me. It is very inspiring and definitely worth a read. Glad you like the review too :)

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  2. I too probably would have had my doubts if I had to review a book on cricket. That would leave me entirely clueless. I'm glad that you enjoyed the book and that it was a revalation for you. The review was great! Thank you!

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मिस्टर सानेंनी हळू डोळे उघडले. खिडकीतून उन्हं येत होती. खाडकन जागे झाले. दुपार झाली कि काय! घड्याळ बघितल, हुश्श, आठच वाजतायेत! पण पुढच्याच क्षणी लक्षात आलं, आठ वाजले तरी किचन मधून काही आवाज येत नाहीयेत. आज तर गुरुवार, वर्किंग डे, एव्हाना किचन मधून आवाजच नव्हे तर तर-तर्हेचे वासही यायला हवेत. डबा तयार झाला असला पाहिजे, चहा तयार झाला आला पाहिजे. पण आज कसलीच हालचाल दिसत नाही! शेजारी पहिल तर मिसेस सानेही शेजारी नाहीत. काय भानगड आहे बुआ आज?   चष्मा चढवून मिस्टर साने बेडरूम मधून बाहेर आले. मिसेस सानेंचा घरात कुठेच पत्ता नव्हता! गेली कुठे  ही? मिस्टर सानेंनी सुनबाईंना विचारायच ठरवलं. पण श्वेता त्यांना कुठे दिसेना. इतक्यात, "गुडमॉर्निंग  बाबा!" म्हणत श्वेता जांभई देत बाहेर आली आणि त्यांच्या उत्तराची वाट न पाहता, तडक  "गुडमॉर्निंग आई" म्हणत किचन मध्ये गेली. मिस्टर साने तिला काही सांगणार इतक्यात,  "अहो बाबा, आई कुठेयत?" म्हणत पुन्हा बाहेर आली. एव्हाना तिची झोप पूर्णपणे उडाली होती. "माहित नाही बुआ, मला वाटलं तुला काही बोलली असेल..."   त्यांना वा

Love them or hate them....

"Behind every great kid is a mom who is pretty sure she is getting it all wrong", they say. True, parenting is a game of 'wait and watch.' There is no right or wrong here; or nothing that is a sure fire success mantra. Everyone has a different take on on how they wish to raise their young ones. And it is the choices that parents make that impact their children majorly. 

Of life lessons and listening to one’s heart - Mrs. B speaks

Small pleasures matter in life. Really small, everyday pleasures. Like, being able to smell the garden in full bloom on a hot summer day, or being able to have a hot water bath in cold weather. Or even being able to drink a hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning. Or, for that matter, being able to eat junk food to one’s heart’s content! Ah, bliss! Oh, I almost forgot, for those of you who haven’t met me before , myself, Mrs. Bhagirathi. The kids in my building call me Mrs. B. I am a housewife. Or better still – a homemaker. I work from home and generally spend time reading and surfing the internet when the kids and my husband are away for the day. I also cook and clean, and wash and iron clothes – but I guess all that is included in the title of “homemaker.” So no special mention needed. So, like I was saying, life is a sum total of small pleasures. And what I said about junk food, is absolutely true. Especially when you think of the cheeseburger. Or the veggie bur