1983, 2011 and more

Celebrated cricket broadcaster Ashis Ray has come out with a new book titled Cricket World Cup: The Indian Challenge, where he has penned down the journey of Indian cricket at the World Cups since the inaugural edition in 1975.

The book traces India’s World Cup journey ever since West Indies won the 60-over World Cup held in England in 1975. It reviews all tournaments from 1975 to 2015 and also previews the ongoing 2019 situation where one person’s ambitions were quashed, resulting in a life of unfulfilled ambitions.

However, when this mirror is held up to the zeitgeist, the narrative of today presents a compelling picture of contrasting optimism. We know that unprofessional conduct and counter productive workplace behaviours that are not inclusive and collaborative are being scrutinised in great detail. None of these practices will remain in the dark for long, nor will they last. We don’t need to wait for the next generation to bring in change: it is happening now, as we speak.

That we had to wait a while for this to happen was necessary – the world had to be ready for this awakening. And today, we know that with the examination of workplaces and a desire to make things better, it is only a matter of time before perspectives experienced by Dr Arakkal will be an ugly vestige of a bigoted past.

Slice Girls is a thought-provoking account of a different world, a dark world of shadows where selfish, greedy and ignorant behaviours were the norm. The voices speaking out against this world –like Dr Arakkal – are like the sun shedding light on unacceptable behaviours and mindsets, and then using the intensity of heat to burn the old, for the new to emerge.

Salma Shah

World Cup in England and Wales. All matches of India, since the inaugural World Cup 44 years ago, are recorded as well as every semi-final and final regardless of whether India featured in them or not.

It also details the story of India's turning point in ODI cricket in Guyana when Kapil Dev's team defeated the previously unassailable West Indies in their own backyard in March 1983. Particularly readable is the story of how MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh planned India's road to ultimate glory in the 2011 World Cup at home. It was after all the best gift Tendulkar could have asked for as he played in the showpiece event one last time. Also featured are some of India’s cricket controversies including Greg Chappell's controversial tenure as Indian coach and the corruption scandal which shook the Indian Premier League (IPL). The book ends with an analysis of India's chances at the 2019 edition of the showpiece event. Arguably the world's senior-most active cricket broadcaster, Ray made his debut as a Test match commentator on All India Radio in 1975 at the age of 24. He holds the distinction of being the world's youngest Test match commentator. He was the only Asian ballby-ball commentator on BBC's coverage of the 1983 edition of the World Cup which India won by defeating then cricket giants West Indies at Lords.

Aakash Kumar