Indian cricket is not simply a sport: it is a way of life for a billion people. It is the only symbol of nationalism that has currency in all parts of the country alike. With cricketers standing forth as the new icons of a nation that is beginning to break into the global market, cricket has emerged as the new aspiration of the country’s youth. And with the influx of multinational sponsors, who brought the game into the forefront of the national economy, cricket in India today is an industry employing close to 500,000 people.

For an institution whose history is an unforgettable tale of passion, ecstasy, drama, intrigue, scandal, agony and excitement spread over a couple of centuries, it is natural to expect multiple pictorial journeys. There have been none until now. This, the first Illustrated History of Indian Cricket, is a frame-by-frame unfolding of what is a fascinating century-old saga. A mine of information for sports buffs, connoisseurs and academics alike, it is replete with rare photographs and newspaper clips from hitherto unused and unheard of private collections. A celebration of the spirit of cricket in India.