Mid-Wicket Tales by S Giridhar

Mid-Wicket Tales by S Giridhar

Written with the passion of a fan and knowledge of a cricketer, Mid-Wicket Tales: From Trumper to Tendulkar is for all genuine lovers of cricket from every cricketing nation. It celebrates cricket in all its hues and brings alive the rich history, romance and technical nuances of the game, where diligent research and analysis is blended with rare and interesting anecdotes.  Even as the essays reflect the authors’ passion for the game, there is a perspective, balance and tolerant objectivity right through the book. Thus, if they lavish praise on Rahul Dravid for his batting or the wondrous all-round skills of Garry Sobers or the incomparable slip catching of Bobby Simpson, they also admire the less successful test cricketers, for there are just a few thousand test players in 137 years of international cricket.  It is the sort of book one can reach out and spend 30 minutes on any number of occasions, just like meeting old friends.

This is a great compilation straight from the hearts of two cricket romanticsIt makes you fall in love with cricket all over again.

-- Rahul Dravid, Indian test cricketer

Over the years of loving and following cricket it has been such a great joy to read various cricketing books captivating the essence of individual players and their respective eras. It is how I learnt to play the game and enjoy the rich history cricket is so privileged to possess. Mid-wicket Tales: From Trumper to Tendulkar is a wonderfully put together book. This book will ensure that its readers never forget the traditions of cricket and the players who have gone to painstaking efforts to uphold the culture of our great game.

-- Matthew Hayden, Australian test cricketer

I loved reading about so many fantastic players who played the great game of cricket. It is so well researched and there are so many fantastic statistics throughout. I particularly liked the section on sublime left handers.

-- Mike Hussey, Australian test cricketer

The book has left me bowled over. Facts, snippets and anecdotes gracefully come together in this one-of-a-kind book. I applaud the special effort the authors have made to feature many brilliant cricketers who were just not lucky to become stars. Analytical and insightful, thought provoking but not controversial, this book brings both smiles & tears.

-- Javagal Srinath, Indian test cricketer

The best books on sport combine passion and intelligence. Passion without intelligence lacks discipline and permanence. Intelligence without passion is cold and impersonal. Here is a volume that gets the balance right.

-- Suresh Menon, well-known journalist, sports writer and biographer

This book is for all genuine lovers of cricket. It has a lovely mix of statistics, technical analysis and stories that enable us to marvel at the past and appreciate the present. The narrative brings alive the game to the reader, animated cricket as I would call it, with such a unique warmth that you will go back again and again to your favorite passages.

-- E. A. S. Prasanna, Indian test cricketer

Giri and Raghu brought a lot of erudition to their essays. As cricket lovers they researched assiduously, they crunched numbers, analyzed data, tested hypotheses, challenged viewpoints … They did all that but they also had a feel for the history of the game, its characters, its romance …. They could put things into perspective and that is why this book covers a wonderfully wide range of issues.

-- Harsha Bhogle, leading cricket commentator and writer (from his Foreword)

An unabashed ode to Test cricket. Or as the authors call it, their "love story". It is also an antidote for the cynicism of today...assumes a mutual affection for the sport, seeking kindred spirits who will get as excited as Giridhar and Raghunath obviously were when digging out novel statistics and recounting unusual anecdotes...[the book] is representative of the sense of history that the authors have invoked in their approach.

-- Firstpost

Informative and historically significant...delving on the game’s rich history, exhaustive technicalities, varied personalities and the grassroots... in-depth statistical analysis, forms the backbone of the book...a sanctuary of cricket tales...sure to whet your cricketing appetite.

-- Wisden India

The book has energy and passion. It’s analytical, dissects technique, explores various facets but, crucially, never forgets cricket’s unsung men — talented players who missed out on Tests...dotted with photographs and illustrations, the book has rare and diverse statistics...the book is, both, an informative and a racy read.

-- The Hindu

A delightful read...the book is a must read for its detailed analysis of so many aspects of the game...there is no denying the book touches the heart of a cricket lover.

-- The Asian Age

An honest attempt to rediscover the love for the game.... The language of the book is simple and plain...a collection of essays arranged randomly which gives readers the freedom to pick and choose and not follow any particular sequence. It′s a good read; informative while bringing in different insights into the game.

-- gocricket.com

A collection that certainly would fight for a place in any kind of cricket fan’s affections...the essays in the book cover the entire range of skills: bowling, batting, fielding, wicket keeping and captaincy. They question preconceived notions and stand a few clichés on their head with a lightness of touch and much finesse. The book works at several levels. For everyone who remembers an age where ‘days cricket’ of all forms was central, it is a dip into nostalgia combined with an acceptance and appreciation of the modern.

-- Biblio

The book is rare for how many people would have thought of putting together cricketing stories that are not brushed upon in newspapers and websites…anecdotes don’t just make you smile but the wonderful narration, also helps you visualize the action being relayed…the book surprises you with little known nuggets even about the game’s legends….It is a book straight out of the 20^th century. Yes, there is no glamour, but plenty of romance if cricket is your first love…. A detectable mix of rare anecdotes, cricketing history, objective analysis of the game, its stars and its underdogs a must read for every cricket lover.                                                                    

-- The Sunday Standard, 27 July 2014

The book is well worth reading for some unexplored insights into India’s world of celebrity cricket.

-- Business Standard, 18 July 2014

A fun, anecdotal but in- depth approach to the world of cricket.

-- Business Line, 14 July 2014

The authors have added right amount of Ingredients—anecdotes, history, statistics and analysis—to serve a broth that lovers of the game would find agreeable…[the book] is a trivia-hunter’s delight.

-- The Telegraph, 7 November 2014

S. Giridhar is Registrar and Chief Operating Officer at Azim Premji University, Bangalore. He is an alumnus of BITS, Pilani and Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai. He writes regularly drawing upon his experiences in the education sector and these essays have been published in the Wall Street Journal, Indian Express, the Hindu, FirstPost.com and Seminar magazine. He played inter-school and city cricket tournaments. He played his best cricket in his late thirties and wishes he had played like that in his younger days. V. J. Raghunath is a retired chemical engineer who now consults with Azim Premji Foundation. He was a very stylish left-handed batsman and a fearless close-in fielder who thrilled his coaches in school. He was awarded the A. F. Wensley prize for the most promising schoolboy cricketer for three years running. He led the Madras Colts team to Bombay in 1968 and played first-division league with the best cricketers of Madras and Bombay in his twenties.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9788132117384
ISBN 10	8132117387
Title	Mid-Wicket Tales
Author	S Giridhar
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd
Year published	2014-12-01
Number of pages	292
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.