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Love across the border
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VIJAY LOKAPALLY writes about young journalist Indranil Basu's book, "Winning Hearts and Games", based on the recent Pakistan tour.
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FOR INDRANIL Basu it was an emotional moment when he was asked by his editor at The Pioneer to report the India-Pakistan series. The historic tour, India's first full series to Pakistan after 1989, had engaged the attention of the two nations even before a ball had been bowled and Indranil, cricket being his first love, was as charged up as the cricketers.
"I couldn't believe it," he gushes, recalling those heady days when he combined his reading of the game with his observation of the places he visited to script a wonderful story that took shape in the form of a book, "Winning Games and Hearts".
His first cricket tour paved the way for his first book. "I was delighted when making my first overseas tour as a reporter and then putting the experience to use for my debut book," says Indranil with a smile.
Known for his hard work, the 26-year-old Indranil penned this book in a record 10 days. "It was a challenge greater than covering the series in Pakistan. I may have done a better job but it was satisfying nevertheless because I could share with my readers a lot of anecdotes which I had not been able to write in my dispatches."
The book is a well-compiled effort, narrating Indranil's experience in Pakistan on and off the field. He has a simple but racy style of expressing himself and there are a number of instances when he provides a wonderful insight into the game and the surroundings that made the tour such a captivating spectacle.
From the time Indranil lands in Lahore to the return flight with the victorious Indian team, he takes you on a breathtaking journey. The motivation to write the book had stemmed from his desire to beat the rest of the scribes by producing a great number of stories. "I couldn't get all of them into print in the paper."
All those stories have found their way into this compelling work by a young mind, refreshingly different from some of the self-proclaimed `experts' on the circuit where many masquerade as know-alls.
The lasting impression of the tour for Indranil was the "warmth" of the people. "The hospitality was overwhelming, at times embarrassing when we would run up a huge bill in a restaurant and the host would refuse to accept any payment. Aap to hamare mehman hain (you are our guests) was a line we must have heard a million times during those 40-odd days," remembers Indranil. Buy this book, even if unreasonably priced by Rupa & Co at Rs.295, to encourage a young writer.
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