Beyond The Blues: A review January 27, 2009
Posted by Karan in General.Tags: Aakash Chopra, Beyond the Blues, Indian cricket
trackback
“Being an Indian cricketer is hell in many ways, because of the intense scrutiny you are subjected to by a billion people. But not being an Indian player is worse”.
In more ways than one, this is the defining statement of Aakash Chopra’s first book, “Beyond the Blues”. An assorted collection of Chopra’s diary entries, this is one interesting read for all cricket lovers. It’s quite different and surprisingly frank & on your face. Without being concerned about ruffled feathers, Chopra gives a frank assessment of the domestic cricket structure and system in India, something which most viewers would have no idea about. It is certainly not a rosy picture that’s portrayed, and that is where Chopra needs to be commended.
Weird selection policies, unimpressive umpires, callous associations.. the book talks about them all. Without naming the guys, it more than gives a hint about who is to blame (from the author’s point of view). The book does get dry at times, with too many details about domestic matches, but well, doesn’t that show our general attitude towards these tournaments? We lap up anything written about international cricket, but who cares about the domestic cricket tournaments? It is this attitude that Chopra laments, and rightly so. After all, it’s the domestic structure of a cricketing nation which gives it the players to represent her for international tournaments. The other problem with the book is that Chopra ends up rambling about too many things. He comes across too cynical a person at various phases in the book. But apart from that, the book is an eye opener in more ways than one.
All in all, a good read. Indian team or no Indian team, Aakash Chopra is a decent author.
PS: I’ve personally always felt that Chopra has been given a raw deal. I think he deserves to come into the national team, maybe at number 3.
if you noticed,
even this post can be named “Cricket and Aakash” just like your previous post
thanks for the heads up! will look for this book next time I am book-surfing..
Well even I believe that Akash Chopra was given a raw deal.. He was the type of player, you would need at the top of order. Somehow he never got his due!!
@Mythalez, awesome observation
@Kunal, Bhelcome!
@Himank, Yep. Poor guy!
Just finished the book and was searching for web articles about it to match my reactions with those of the world and your blog comes up on top just below cricinfo’s.
I liked the book a lot. i always felt that domestic cricket is given a raw deal in our country. The first time I saw live professional cricket was some Elite XYZ play another in a Duleep trophy match at Gymkhana grounds in 2003 and the ground didnt even have gallery for me to sit and watch the game. I was standing and leaning against the fence for a couple of hours under the hot sun before got too tired and left.
Haha. Nice to see that, don’t get many hits through this link though!
Yes, I had a similar expereince in 2001. It was a Ranji match, and the conditions were pathetic! That, inspite of having Laxman in one of the teams.
Btw, read Aakash Chopra’s column on cricinfo. Very good commentary on cricket in India.