Book Review: Eleven Gods and a Billion Indians

Book: Eleven Gods and a Billion IndiansAuthor: Boria MajumdarPublisher: S&S IndiaPages: 450Price: Rs 419

Boria Majumdar is not just one of the most seasoned commentators on Indian cricket on television, but he also has a PhD from Oxford University on the history of cricket in India, who has written several books on the game. In 'Eleven Gods And A Billion Indians – The On And Off The Field Story of Cricket In India And Beyond', his latest book, the 42-year-old combines these academic insights with his close acquaintance with Indian cricket administrators and players, current and past to give a detailed account of how cricket has been run in India from pre-Independence times.

The 435-page book, divided into five parts, concentrates more on cricket board politics. As for on-field achievements, Majumdar lists out recent ones - India's conquest of Australia at home in 2000-01, the NatWest Trophy triumph of 2002, the 2003 World Cup journey, and, of course, his personal experience of India's 2011 World Cup campaign - early in the book. He also touches on important controversies including match-fixing, 'Monkeygate', and so on in minute detail, connecting chapter to chapter in a way that shows his mastery over story telling.

The story of how India has become the financial hub of world cricket in recent times with multi-million dollar broadcast deals, and how the BCCI struggled to break the monopoly of Doordarshan in the pre-satellite TV days is told in minute detail. Some readers may find the subject boring and skip to the more interesting account of the little-known story of how Ranjitsinhji wrote love letters and poems to two sisters Mary and Minnie he was fond of, and also the debts he ran up.

Majumdar speaks highly of fellow Kolkatans Sourav Ganguly and former BCCI president, the late Jagmohan Dalmiya, favouring the gormer Ganguly in the infamous Ganguly-Chappell row. But did there have to be such a detailed description of the 2006 Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) elections that Dalmiya won? The CAB elections, after all, were a regional affair and irrelevant given the book's national focus.

Similarly, he is unabashedly admiring of Virat Kohli, expressing his support for him in the unpleasant episode which led to Anil Kumble stepping down as India's coach last year. "As captain of the team, Kohli had every right to ask for a coach who understood him and his vision," Majumdar writes. Towards the end, he writes: "Seeing Kohli up close, I feel a real sense of hope and anticipation."

The current generation of India's cricket fans will like to read Majumdar's account of the early history of Indian cricket, how in the 19th century "Indian sepoys had already successfully thwarted English superiority in the latter's own sport", as well as about Lala Amarnath's ouster midway through the 1936 tour of England, with charges against him of accepting Rs 5,000 as bribe to include Bengal's Probir Sen for two Tests against West Indies in 1948-49, and his run-ins with the board. They will find it interesting to read about India's first Test captain CK Nayudu, the infighting in the team with players refusing to play under him and the public support he won eventually.

Majumdar also includes some hitherto unknown stories such as how Mohammed Azharuddin was not given tickets to watch the India-Pakistan group match in the 2017 Champions Trophy in England because of his involvement in match-fixing.

Nine pages are devoted to Indian women's cricket, which has posted some amazing performances of late. A more detailed account, writes Majumdar, "is a book for another day. And it is indeed a story no less thrilling".

This is recommended reading for all Indian cricket lovers.