Cricket is not just a sport, but a religion in India and cricketers are treated as demigods. 'You Must Like Cricket?' - a book on this religiously-followed game is sure to create ripples across the country. Written by Soumya Bhattacharya, making his debut in the literary field, the book gives a wry account of three decades of the journey of a team through its ups and down. From being a sport which was hated to the game which satisfies the social, religious and economic interest of the people, cricket has come a long way. This is what Soumya has tried to portray in his book.
The Book
'You Must Like Cricket?' has an archival nature to it, where the author shares his personal attachment to the game and described his experiences as a fan, both at home and abroad. 1983 World Cup marked the birth of cricket as a popular sport in India. While describing the unexpected triumph of India in the World Cup, the book gives a rave detail of the game. In his book, Soumya gives a vivid detailing of the making of the game, ultimately reaching its present stature, as we see today. He writes about his obsession with the game, but ends the book with no conclusion.
Soumya also engages the readers by writing on those players of Indian cricket, which he considers as his heroes. The cricketer who tops his list is Gundappa Vishwanath, a batman best known for his remarkable contribution to the world of cricket. A book on cricket is incomplete without the mention of the 'Master Blaster' - Sachin Tendulkar and he surely looms largely in 'You Must Like Cricket?'. Soumya also writes about his opinion - that cricket gets a bad face when cross border fights are settled in the 30 yards ground, where India plays Pakistan. Overall, the book covers three decades of the journey of Indian cricket, from the historic win of 1983 to 2003.
Soumya Bhattacharya
Soumya Bhattacharya is an Indian journalist and author. Born in Kolkata, the City of Joy, he completed his education in Kolkata and London. He worked with numerous print media organizations, such as The Times - in London, The Sydney Morning Herald - in Sydney, India Today magazine - in New Delhi, The Telegraph - in Kolkata. Presently, he is working as a Deputy Editor in the Hindustan Times, Mumbai. A winner of Medialink Fellowship in 2003, 'You Must like Cricket?' was his first plunge into the literary field, which has received a critical acclaim worldwide.
