4 min readDec 30, 2023 04:52 PM IST
First published on: Dec 29, 2023 at 08:26 PM IST
The year 1983 forever remains the one that changed the face of Indian cricket. From the day a bunch of underdogs returned as world champions from England, not just India’s landscape, but cricket’s too altered. And when MS Dhoni’s team lifted the World Cup on home soil in Mumbai, India stood at the summit of world cricket, on and off the field. From performances on the 22-yards to its swelling presence in the international cricket corridors and the incredible money that kept pouring in, India literally became the centre of the cricketing universe.
But what went between these two game-turning historic moments in Indian cricket? The current generation may not be privy to such incidents and that is exactly what the book The Lords of Wankhede, co-authored by former India player and coach WV Raman and eminent cricket writer R Kaushik, indulge in. That they have not sidestepped on the most controversial subject — the 2000 match-fixing saga — tells you that they have covered all bases.
“Clearly, the Indian public didn’t deserve the treatment they had been forced to endure. Through thick and thin, through the frequent bad times and the rare good ones (for that was the norm in Indian cricket at that point), they had stood by their men, always praying, always hoping that the next win was just around the corner, never even remotely suspecting their idols’s character or integrity,” the duo speaks about the turbulent times. It is a topic that many famous autobiographies haven’t touched upon, choosing to keep it under the carpet. That the duo have not just spoken but also have mentioned all the names that came up during the saga deserves praise as there could be some friendships to lose.
Beyond fixing, there are stories of extraordinary players, talents that didn’t get a long rope. A tale of a cricket board that never fell short of amusing those who were part of its ecosystem. Through some rich collection of anecdotes to personal experiences of watching the game from close quarters, the duo recollects stories without just stating the obvious.
The story starts from 1983 before it moves Down Under for the World Series victory. Between the tied Test at Chepauk and Sunil Gavaskar’s retirement, is the tale of how Asian blocs got together and managed to host a successful World Cup in 1987. From there on the journey is smooth with nuanced observations, all though it doesn’t miss a chance to spell out the politics of sport in the BCCI corridors and how the relationship between the board and the players wasn’t equal.
The easy way out would have been to chronologically place all the events and touch upon everything. But that wouldn’t do justice. So they pick the right moments to narrate the journey. The most interesting aspect of the book is undoubtedly the infamous Ganguly-Chappell spat. That Kaushik was among the travelling journalists in Zimbabwe, means there are a lot of inside stories that led to the two falling out with each other. From what was the breaking point to some of the conversations that wound up Ganguly, the book mentions those. The bit where Chappell was willing to drop neither Yuvraj Singh nor Mohammad Kaif reveals a lot about how uncomfortable truths never settled well with Indian cricketers, especially when shown the mirror. Beyond all of this, there is enough material for the layman to understand how the National Cricket Academy works, where Raman was a coach at various stages. He has helped in giving a clear picture.
Given the duo’s vast understanding of the game and the knowledge they share, they could have written more about domestic cricket. Maybe they have kept it for the next book.
Book: The Lords of Wankhede
Authors: WV Raman, R Kaushik,
Publisher: Rupa
Price: ₹395.
But what went between the two game-turning historic moments in Indian cricket? That is exactly what The Lords of Wankhede indulges in. 
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